Wave & Takeda Form Strategic Collaboration

Wave Life Sciences has entered a global strategic collaboration with Takeda to discover, develop and commercialize nucleic acid therapies for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). 

Under the collaboration, Wave will provide Takeda the option to co-develop and co-commercialize programs in Huntington’s disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). In addition, Takeda will have the right to license multiple preclinical programs targeting CNS disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Wave will continue to independently advance its activities in neuromuscular diseases, including its lead clinical program for the treatment of Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Under terms of the two-component agreement, Takeda will make an initial payment of $110 million to Wave and purchase $60 million of Wave’s ordinary shares at $54.70 per share. Takeda will also fund at least $60 million of Wave research over a four-year period to advance multiple preclinical targets selected by and licensed to Takeda.

“We are thrilled to be joining with Takeda in this ambitious alliance to bring meaningful therapies to patients suffering from devastating neurological diseases,” said Paul Bolno, MD, MBA, president and chief executive officer of Wave Life Sciences. “This partnership provides additional resources to advance our clinical programs through multiple data readouts while continuing to expand our pipeline in neurology and other therapeutic areas. We look forward to working with Takeda and leveraging our expertise in oligonucleotides and clinical capabilities to grow our company and continue to make scientific and medical advances on behalf of patients.”