Astellas and AviadoBio announce exclusive gene therapy deal

AviadoBio to receive up to £1.8 billion in potential payments

AviadoBio and Astellas Pharma have entered into an exclusive option and licence agreement for AVB-101, an investigational gene therapy targeting frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

The deal, announced today, could see AviadoBio receive up to £1.8 billion in licence fees and milestone payments, plus royalties.

Under the agreement, Astellas will make a £16.4 million equity investment and up to £24.6 million in upfront payments. If Astellas exercises its option, it will gain worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialise AVB-101 for FTD and other indications.

Lisa Deschamps, CEO of AviadoBio, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. “As we complete dosing of the first cohort of patients in our Phase 1/2 ASPIRE-FTD trial of AVB-101, we are excited about the potential of this collaboration to help address the unmet need that exists today in frontotemporal dementia,” she said.

“This strategic collaboration will combine our promising gene therapy candidate for FTD-GRN and delivery expertise with Astellas’ global capabilities in development and commercialisation of gene therapies,” she added.

Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer at Astellas, highlighted the innovative nature of AVB-101. “We look forward to collaborating with the team at AviadoBio as we expand our gene therapy pipeline to help a broader range of people living with debilitating, neurodegenerative diseases,” he stated. “AVB-101 represents a truly innovative approach to the treatment of FTD-GRN and has the potential to be part of the next generation of gene therapy products through the creation of this agreement.”

Frontotemporal dementia is a severe form of early-onset dementia, often leading to death within three to 13 years from diagnosis. It causes a rapid decline in executive function, uncharacteristic behaviours, and loss of language, among other symptoms