We've updated our Privacy Policy to make it clearer how we use your personal data. We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. You can read our Cookie Policy here.

Advertisement
Sign up to read this article for FREE!

After signing up, you'll start to receive regular news updates from us.

Enzon and Santaris Pharma Enter into Global Collaboration

Listen with
Speechify
0:00
Register for free to listen to this article
Thank you. Listen to this article using the player above.

Want to listen to this article for FREE?

Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.

Read time: 1 minute

Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Santaris Pharma A/S have announced that the companies have entered into a collaboration to co-develop and commercialize a series of RNA Antagonists based on Santaris Pharma’s LNA (Locked Nucleic Acid) technology and utilizing Enzon’s oncology drug development expertise.

Under the terms of the agreement, Enzon is licensing two of Santaris Pharma’s preclinical development compounds, the HIF-1a antagonist (SPC2968) and the Survivin antagonist (SPC3042), and six additional proprietary RNA Antagonist candidates, all to be directed against novel oncology drug targets selected by Enzon. 

Enzon will have exclusive rights to develop and commercialize these compounds in the U.S. and other non-European territories.

Santaris will retain exclusive rights to commercialization in Europe. The companies will share development data for use in their respective territories.

Further, Enzon will have the opportunity to explore the potential for added benefit with its next-generation PEGylation Customized Linker Technology.  

Enzon will make an initial up-front payment of $8 million to Santaris Pharma, followed by an additional $3 million upon the identification of certain LNA targets and additional payments on the achievement of pre-specified discovery, development and regulatory milestones, representing a potential aggregate total of more than $200 million.

Enzon will pay royalties to Santaris Pharma on net sales of RNA Antagonist products resulting from the collaboration in non-European territories. 

"This very important collaboration is in line with our strategic goal of advancing our presence in oncology while leveraging our access to proprietary new technologies," said Jeffrey H. Buchalter, Enzon’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 

"This partnership will greatly enhance our R&D pipeline with the addition of two new clinical programs in the next six-to-12 months and another six preclinical compounds entering the pipeline over the next few years."

"We are delighted to be in partnership with Enzon Pharmaceuticals, whose new management has extensive experience of developing and commercializing innovative oncology drugs, making them an ideal partner for Santaris," said Keith McCullagh, President and Chief Executive Officer, Santaris Pharma A/S.

"Together we are committed to building a unique portfolio of RNA Antagonist drugs with the potential to address some of the underlying genetic causes of disease and improve patient outcomes in the treatment of cancer."