Intellia Therapeutics and SparingVision Announce Strategic Collaboration to Develop Novel Ocular Therapies Using CRISPR/Cas9 Technology
13 October 2021 - 10:01PM
Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTLA), a leading
clinical-stage genome editing company focused on developing
curative therapeutics using CRISPR/Cas9 technology both in vivo and
ex vivo, and SparingVision, a genomic medicine company developing
vision saving treatments for ocular diseases, today announced a
strategic collaboration to develop novel genomic medicines
utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 technology for the treatment of ocular
diseases.
As part of this collaboration, Intellia will
grant SparingVision exclusive rights to Intellia’s proprietary in
vivo CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing technology for up to three
ocular targets addressing diseases with significant unmet medical
need. SparingVision will lead and fund the preclinical and clinical
development for the genome editing product candidates pursued under
the collaboration. In addition, the parties will research and
develop novel self-inactivating AAV vectors and LNP-based
approaches to address delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing
reagents to the retina.
As part of the licensing agreement, Intellia
will receive a 10% equity ownership stake in SparingVision.
Intellia will also be eligible to receive certain development and
commercial milestone payments (around $200 million per product) as
well as royalties on potential future sales of products arising
from the collaboration. In addition, Intellia may exercise an
option to obtain the US commercialization rights for product
candidates arising from two of three collaboration targets. For
product candidates Intellia chooses to option, Intellia will pay an
opt-in fee, reimburse certain costs, share in 50% of development
costs and pay royalties to SparingVision on US sales. Intellia will
also maintain the ability to leverage technology advances
established under this collaboration for any targets outside the
partnership.
Stéphane Boissel, President and Chief
Executive Officer of SparingVision, said: “SparingVision’s
aim has always been to disrupt the ophthalmology field by using
cutting-edge technologies to address areas of significant unmet
need. This collaboration with Intellia marks a pivotal moment in
this mission and is highly complementary to our already mature and
growing pipeline of unique mutation-agnostic gene therapies.
Intellia is the first company in history to present clinical data
supporting precision editing of a disease-causing gene within the
body following a single, systemic dose of CRISPR/Cas9 and we are
honored to have been selected as a strategic partner. We look
forward to working together with the shared goal of radically
changing the treatment of blinding ocular diseases.”
“Intellia has been a pioneer in utilizing
CRISPR/Cas9 technology to develop potentially curative treatments
for genetic diseases. Today’s announcement is another step forward
in more fully leveraging the power of our genome editing technology
to address diseases inadequately treated with existing medicines,”
said Intellia President and Chief Executive Officer John
Leonard, M.D. “We have been thoroughly impressed with the
team at SparingVision, particularly regarding their unparalleled
understanding of retinal diseases and track-record for developing
novel therapies for patients with ocular diseases. We believe
SparingVision will be an excellent partner to expand our genome
editing capabilities into the field of ophthalmology and we look
forward to our new partnership.”
The transaction is expected to close in the
fourth quarter and is subject to certain closing conditions.
SparingVision’s management team will be holding
a webcast to discuss the collaboration today (13th October) at
16:00 CEST / 15:00 BST / 10:00 ET, which will include a live
Q&A session. Please find a link to join this webcast here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83682810928
About Intellia
TherapeuticsIntellia Therapeutics, a leading
clinical-stage genome editing company, is developing novel,
potentially curative therapeutics using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. To
fully realize the transformative potential of CRISPR/Cas9, Intellia
is pursuing two primary approaches. The company’s in vivo programs
use intravenously administered CRISPR as the therapy, in which
proprietary delivery technology enables highly precise editing of
disease-causing genes directly within specific target tissues.
Intellia’s ex vivo programs use CRISPR to create the therapy by
using engineered human cells to treat cancer and autoimmune
diseases. Intellia’s deep scientific, technical and clinical
development experience, along with its robust intellectual property
portfolio, have enabled the company to take a leadership role in
harnessing the full potential of CRISPR/Cas9 to create new classes
of genetic medicine. Learn more at intelliatx.com. Follow us on
Twitter @intelliatweets.
About
SparingVision:SparingVision is a genomic medicines
company, translating pioneering science into vision-saving
treatments. Founded to advance over 20 years of world-leading
ophthalmic research from its scientific founders at the Paris
Vision Institute, SparingVision is leading a step shift in how
ocular diseases are treated, moving beyond single gene correction
therapies. At the heart of this is a pipeline of gene independent
treatments for rod-cone dystrophies. Lead products, SPVN06 and
SPVN20, address mid and late stages of retinitis pigmentosa (RP)
respectively. RP is the most common inherited retinal disease
affecting two million people worldwide. These novel medicines could
form the basis of a suite of new sight-saving treatments with
potential applications across many other retinal diseases,
regardless of genetic cause.
The Company is supported by a strong,
internationally renowned team who aim to harness the potential of
genomic medicine to deliver new treatments to all ocular disease
patients as quickly as possible. SparingVision has raised €60
million to date and its investors include 4BIO Capital, Advent
France Biotechnology, Bpifrance, Foundation Fighting Blindness
(US), Fondation Voir & Entendre, UPMC Enterprises, Jeito
Capital and Ysios Capital. For more information, please visit
www.sparingvision.com.
Intellia’s Forward-Looking
StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation,
express or implied statements regarding Intellia’s beliefs and
expectations regarding: its strategy, business plans and focus; its
ability to quickly and efficiently realize the scope and potential
of its genome-editing technology; its ability to maintain, expand
and maximize its intellectual property portfolio and pipeline as
well as accelerate clinical validation for its platform; the
therapeutic value and development potential of CRISPR/Cas9 gene
editing technologies and therapies; its ability to combine its
CRISPR genome editing platform with SparingVision’s expertise in
ocular diseases to create successful therapeutic products; and the
expected strategic benefits of any current or future
collaborations.
Any forward-looking statements in this press
release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs
of future events, and are subject to a number of risks,
uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release,
including, without limitation, risks related to Intellia’s ability
to protect and maintain its intellectual property portfolio; risks
related to Intellia’s relationship with third parties, including
its licensors and licensees; risks related to the ability of
Intellia’s licensors to protect and maintain their intellectual
property position; uncertainties related to the authorization,
initiation and conduct of studies and other development
requirements for the new company’s product candidates; the risk
that any one or more of the collaboration product candidates will
not be successfully developed and commercialized; the risk that the
results of preclinical studies or clinical studies will not be
predictive of future results in connection with future studies; and
the risk that Intellia’s collaboration with SparingVision or its
other collaborations will not continue or will not be successful.
These and other risks and uncertainties are described in greater
detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Intellia’s most
recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q
filed with the SEC, as well as discussions of potential risks,
uncertainties, and other important factors in Intellia’s other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release
represent Intellia’s views only as of the date hereof and should
not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent
date. Intellia explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Contacts:
Intellia
Contacts:Investors:Ian KarpSenior Vice
President, Investor Relations and Corporate
Communications+1-857-449-4175ian.karp@intelliatx.com
Lina LiDirector, Investor
Relations+1-857-706-1612lina.li@intelliatx.com
Media:Lisa QuTen Bridge
Communications+1-678-662-9166media@intelliatx.comlqu@tenbridgecommunications.com
SparingVision Contacts:Nathalie TrepoDirector,
Investor Relations and Corporate
CommunicationsNathalie.trepo@sparingvision.com
Consilium Strategic CommunicationsAmber Fennell, Genevieve
Wilson, Priit Piip+44 (0)20 3709
5700sparingvision@consilium-comms.com
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