Toronto biotech QurCan Therapeutics has struck an exclusive research and collaboration agreement with Eli Lilly and Company to develop nucleic acid therapies aimed at diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

 

This, in a deal that could deliver QurCan up to US$237 million per program, plus royalties.

 

The multi-program collaboration will leverage QurCan’s proprietary TERP (Target-Engineered Responsive Polymer) platform, which uses polymer-lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic medicines to the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).

 

Under the agreement, QurCan will optimize genetic medicine therapeutics using its TERP platform, while Lilly will take responsibility for further research, clinical development and commercialization of selected programs.

 

“This collaboration with Lilly represents a validation of our PLNP technology platform and its potential to address some of the most challenging delivery problems in genetic medicine,” said Mohammad Ali Amini, Chief Executive Officer of QurCan. 

 

“The CNS and PNS remain among the most underserved areas in genetic medicine delivery, and we believe our non-viral approach offers a differentiated and versatile solution across various nucleotide cargos. We are thrilled to work with Lilly, a company with unparalleled expertise in neuroscience drug development and commercialization, to bring these therapies to patients who urgently need them.”

 

The agreement gives QurCan an upfront payment and a strategic investment from Lilly. The Toronto-based company is also eligible for research support payments and research, development and commercial milestone payments of up to US$237 million for each program, in addition to tiered royalties on global net sales of commercialized products.

 

The partnership targets a key challenge in genetic medicine: delivering therapeutic nucleic acids to cells in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.

 

QurCan says its TERP platform is designed to enable repeat-dosable systemic and targeted delivery of mRNA, DNA and oligonucleotide payloads to disease-relevant cell populations.

 

The collaboration brings Lilly's neuroscience drug-development and commercialization capabilities together with QurCan's non-viral delivery technology, with multiple research programs planned under the agreement.