Immusoft and Poseida Partners with Takeda

This week, Takeda is teaming with biotech businesses in a big way. Immusoft, based in Seattle, signed a research agreement and licence option with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to develop, market, and sell cell treatments for rare inherited metabolic illnesses with CNS signs and consequences.  Immune System Programming (ISP) technology platform will be used. Takeda is paying an unknown upfront fee as well as research funding.

“We are excited to enter this collaboration with Takeda, a recognized global leader in rare disease therapies,” stated Sean Ainsworth, Immusoft chief executive officer. “This advances our leadership position in B cells as biofactories for therapeutic protein delivery, a novel approach that Immusoft has pioneered. This partnership provides with significant resources to further develop our Immune System Programming (ISP) technology platform and therapies in diseases for which patients have limited options.”

Option fees and milestones worth more than $900 million will be available to Immusoft. Before the clinic, Takeda selects exclusive licencing alternatives for the programmes. On commercial goods resulting from the cooperation, will be eligible for tiered royalties. Takeda will be in charge of preclinical, clinical, and commercial development. Compounds for Hurler syndrome (MPS I and MPS II), ALS, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Pompe disease, and Gaucher disease are in  pipeline, which is mostly in the IND-enabling or discovery stages.

The ISP platform of the company alters B cells and tells them to deliver gene-encoded treatments. The collaboration will concentrate on finding medicines that can pass the blood-brain barrier. Immusoft is also developing novel techniques to make cell therapies more lasting and genetically redosable.