Roche and Dyno Therapeutics Launch $1B+ Collaboration to Develop Next-Generation AAV Gene Therapy Vectors for Neurological Diseases

Collaboration Details:
Roche and Dyno Therapeutics have entered into a new research collaboration to develop next-generation adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vectors for neurological diseases, with a potential value of over $1 billion.

Technology:
Dyno Therapeutics will use its AI-driven platform, specifically the Low-Shot Efficient Accelerated Performance (LEAP) technology, to design and discover novel AAV capsids with improved functional properties for tissue targeting, immune evasion, and manufacturability.

Roles and Responsibilities:
Dyno will oversee the design and discovery of new AAV capsids, while Roche will conduct capsid validation studies and further preclinical, clinical, and commercialization activities for multiple neurological gene therapy product candidates.

Financial Terms:
Roche will pay Dyno $50 million upfront, with additional payments during the research phase, and potential preclinical, clinical, and sales milestone payments totaling over $1 billion, plus royalties on net sales of commercial products.

Previous Collaboration:
This is the second collaboration between Roche and Dyno Therapeutics, following their initial agreement in October 2020, which also included liver-directed therapies.

Strategic Impact:
The partnership aims to address the limitations of current gene therapy vectors, such as low delivery efficiency, pre-existing immunity challenges, and manufacturability issues, by leveraging AI and high-throughput in vivo data collection.

Target Diseases:
The collaboration focuses on developing gene therapies for historically difficult-to-treat neurological diseases, aligning with Roche’s commitment to advancing its neurological disease portfolio.