H. Lundbeck and Contera Pharma collaborate to accelerate the discovery and development of innovative oligonucleotide-based medicines for patients living with serious neurological conditions. 

Through this partnership, the companies will explore novel RNA-targeting therapeutic approaches aimed at delivering transformative benefits for patients worldwide.

The collaboration will leverage Lundbeck’s more than 70 years of expertise in neuroscience and Contera Pharma’s cutting-edge oligonucleotide capabilities and proprietary RNA discovery platforms, including AttackPoint Discovery, OligoDisc, and SpliceMatrix.

Tarek Samad, Senior Vice President and Head of Research at Lundbeck, stated: “Partnering with Contera provides us with an opportunity to expand our pipeline with RNA-targeting candidates that could lead to entirely new treatment paradigms. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver therapies for patients with serious neurological conditions where few or no effective options exist today.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Contera Pharma will apply its specialized RNA discovery platforms to identify and optimize novel therapies that target disease-modifying molecular mechanisms. Lundbeck will have the option to advance these promising candidates into later-stage clinical development and global commercialization, ensuring that innovative treatments ultimately reach patients worldwide.

Contera Pharma will receive an upfront payment and full research funding for each target under investigation. The company will also be eligible for milestone payments tied to preclinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial achievements, as well as tiered royalties on future net sales of any resulting products.

Søren Vestergaard Rasmussen, Chief Scientific Officer of Contera Pharma, commented: “This collaboration underscores the strength of our RNA platform and our ability to translate pioneering science into transformative therapies. We are excited to partner with Lundbeck and work together to accelerate innovation in the treatment of neurological disorders.”