Takeda takes aim at a biotech’s gene therapy work – BioPharma Dive

Dive Brief:

Despite a recent series of safety concerns, gene therapies continue to draw interest and investment from the world's most powerful drug companies. In just the last month or so, both Pfizer and AbbVieformed collaborations with small gene therapy developers. And Novartis, which already spent nearly $9 billion back in 2018 to acquire AveXis, also announced in late September that it was buying another biotech focused on genetic treatments, Arctos Medical.

Takeda and Poseidaare now adding to this recent spree of deals. For Takeda, which has been slower than some of its peers in establishing a foothold in cell and gene therapy research, the partnership offers another way to catch up.

In particular, Takedaseems enticed by Poseida'sengineering platform, which is designed to very precisely edit genetic material and then be able to deliver large amounts of it into cells. The goal is to develop treatments that don't use viruses as delivery vehicles, an approach first-generation gene therapies rely on, but which has notable limitations. Poseida's technology is part of a growing wave of research into newer methods that can expand gene therapy's reach.

Madhu Natarajan, Takeda'shead of rare disease drug discovery, said in a statement that Poseida's technologies should complement the company's existing collaborations. Over the past year and a half, Takedahas placed bets on multiple other gene therapy biotechswith newer gene therapy technologies, including Ensoma, SelectaBiosciences and Carmine Therapeutics.

Working with Poseida"reinforces Takeda's commitment to investing in next-generation gene therapy approaches that have the potential to deliver functional cures to patients with rare genetic and hematologic diseases," Natarajan said. Among the six programs initially covered in the deal is one for hemophilia A, a disease that has been a prime target for many leading gene therapy developers.

Moving forward,Poseida is in charge of research activities for each program until the candidate selection stage, after which Takeda is responsible for further testing and commercializing the therapy. Currently, all of Poseida's gene therapy programs are in preclinical or earlier stages of development.

Posieda's share price rose nearly 6% following announcement of the Takeda deal,but quickly backtracked to break even. Shares traded at $6.38 apiece late Tuesday morning,reflecting about two-thirds of the value they held at the start of the year.

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Takeda takes aim at a biotech's gene therapy work - BioPharma Dive