Bausch + Lomb Enters Strategic Collaboration with City Therapeutics for RNAi-Based Eye Disease Treatment

Strategic Collaboration:
Bausch + Lomb has entered into a strategic collaboration with City Therapeutics to develop a novel RNAi-based treatment for retinal diseases, including geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)2.

Financial Terms:
The collaboration includes an upfront cash payment to City Therapeutics, with potential contingent payments tied to development, regulatory, commercial, and sales milestones of up to $485 million, as well as tiered royalty payments on net product sales2.

Development Responsibilities:
City Therapeutics will leverage its next-generation RNAi engineering technologies to develop a novel RNAi clinical candidate. Bausch + Lomb will be responsible for IND-enabling studies, clinical development, regulatory submissions, and commercialization activities if it elects to pursue the candidate further2.

Technology and Product Rights:
City Therapeutics retains all technology and product rights, except where Bausch + Lomb exercises its right to exclusively license a candidate for ocular indications2.

Background on RNA Therapy:
RNA therapy has shown potential in treating retinal diseases by targeting faulty gene products at the RNA level, offering a specific and potentially panretinal effect5.

Sources:

2. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/BAUSCH-LOMB-CORPORATION-137315071/news/City-Therapeutics-Inc-Announces-Strategic-Collaboration-with-Bausch-Lomb-to-Develop-Novel-RNAi-B-48727887/

5. https://www.retinalphysician.com/issues/2020/may/targeting-rna-for-retinal-disease/