Santaris' development tech wins Wyeth deal

Santaris Pharma's drug development technology has won over Wyeth. The two have formed a collaboration aimed at developing new RNA-based therapeutics. Santaris gets $17 million initially; $7 million as an upfront fee and a $10 million equity investment. Milestones will add up to $83 million more for each program that emerges from the partnership, with royalties due on each.

For Wyeth, the deal marks another foray into the RNA field. Wyeth will select the RNA targets against which Santaris will use their proprietary LNA drug platform to generate unique drug candidates. Wyeth will be responsible for the development and commercialization of any therapies identified in the collaboration.

"With this alliance Wyeth explores a fourth platform technology targeting RNAs, which complements our expertise in small molecules, vaccines and protein-based therapeutics," says Mikael Dolsten, president of Wyeth Research. "This will increase our ability to develop and bring to market innovative, high-value medicines that have the potential to address significant unmet needs in critical therapeutic areas."

The research deal will run for three years and Wyeth has an option to extend the pact for two more years. Santaris was a 2008 Fierce 15 company.

- check out the press release
- read the report from Dow Jones

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GSK, Santaris ink $700M development deal (Dec 2007)