Isis, AstraZeneca Expand Development Partnership

Isis Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca entered a strategic alliance to discover and develop new delivery methods for antisense oligonucleotides that target the desired tissue more effectively. The alliance will initially focus on oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (CVMD). The agreement builds on an existing collaboration supporting AZ’s R&D capabilities for antisense oligonucleotide-based therapeutics and RNA biology.  
 
The new delivery methods will aim to enhance the access of antisense oligonucleotides into specific organs and cells. The methods build on Isis’ Ligand Conjugation Antisense (LICA) technology.
 
Each company will fund their respective contributions and commit investigators on an agreed program and will share rights to the results. Isis can apply the results broadly across its antisense technology platform and AstraZeneca can apply this knowledge across its broader RNA-based, small molecule and antibody R&D activities. 
 
“This exciting collaboration very much supports AstraZeneca’s research and development in the area of RNA-based therapeutics. If successful, we’ll have a way to selectivity modulate therapeutic targets in specific cell types that are intractable to small molecules and antibodies. This could lead to a number of ground breaking drugs for both oncology and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases,” said Susan Galbraith, head of the Oncology Innovative Medicines Unit, AstraZeneca.
 
Brett Monia, senior vice president of Antisense Drug Discovery, Isis Pharmaceuticals said, “The collaboration expansion announced today builds upon an already successful agreement between Isis and AstraZeneca. Together, we have advanced ISIS-STAT3_Rx and ISIS-AR_Rx in clinical development, both of which are being evaluated in patients with cancer. This opportunity also complements our internal efforts to expand the use of our technology and develop drugs with broad therapeutic applicability.”