Benzinga -
- Neurocrine Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:NBIX) and Voyager Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: VYGR) have formed a new strategic collaboration to advance multiple gene therapies for neurological diseases.
- Voyager will receive up-front consideration of $175 million, including a $39 million equity investment, up to $1.5 billion in potential development milestones, additional potential commercial milestones, tiered royalties on net sales, program funding, and an option to elect 50/50 cost- and profit-sharing in the U.S. for the GBA1 program following Phase 1 readout.
- The collaboration includes Voyager's preclinical GBA1 gene therapy program for Parkinson's disease and other GBA1-mediated diseases, which combines a GBA1 gene replacement payload with novel capsids from Voyager's TRACER platform.
- In addition, Neurocrine Biosciences and Voyager have also agreed to collaborate on three new gene therapy programs directed to rare CNS targets, each leveraging Voyager's novel TRACER capsids.
- Regarding the GBA1 gene therapy program, Neurocrine Biosciences has agreed to fund development through the completion of a first Phase 1 trial.
- Following the data readout, Voyager has the right, but not the obligation, to elect to co-develop and co-commercialize the GBA1 program with Neurocrine Biosciences in the U.S. under a 50/50 cost- and profit-sharing arrangement.
- If Voyager declines its option for cost and profit sharing on the GBA1 program, it will be eligible for up to $985 million in total development milestone payments plus substantial potential commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties.
- Price Action: VYGR shares are up 28.16% at $8.92 during the premarket session on the last check Monday.