Gilead Sciences and Lyndra Therapeutics Partner to Develop Once-Weekly Oral HIV Therapy
Jul 10, 2019 10:04
CST Updated
10:04
Gilead Sciences
Antiviral Drug Developer
Lyndra Therapeutics
Pharmaceutical R&D Developer
July 10, 2019/BioValleyBIOON/--Gilead Sciences and Lyndra Therapeutics recently announced that they have reached a collaboration to develop and commercialize ultra-long-acting oral HIV therapies. Gilead will hold exclusive rights to Lyndra’s therapeutic platform for HIV-related ultra-long-acting formulations.
Gilead Sciences, a leader in HIV medications, invested in Lyndra Therapeutics’ oversubscribed $60.9 million Series B financing round just a few months ago.
Under the terms of this collaboration agreement, Gilead Sciences will pay Lyndra Therapeutics an upfront payment of $15 million to develop a once-weekly HIV formulation. Gilead Sciences will obtain exclusive rights to any products resulting from the collaboration, and Lyndra Therapeutics has agreed not to partner with other companies to apply its technology to HIV medications.
Headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA, Lyndra Therapeutics specializes in reformulating oral medications to reduce dosing frequency. The company’s ultra-long-acting dosage form platform technology incorporates active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) into a star-shaped configuration housed within a standard capsule. This star-shaped device, featuring six arms, expands in the patient’s stomach and provides sustained, slow drug release over an extended period. The star-shaped structure remains in the stomach until all its arms detach, after which it is safely eliminated through the gastrointestinal tract. This technology enables patients to take medication as infrequently as once weekly or even once monthly, rather than daily, thereby potentially improving medication adherence, leading to better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Additionally, delivering controlled drug doses helps minimize side effects and enhance therapeutic efficacy.
Amy Schulman, CEO and Co-Founder of Lyndra Therapeutics, stated, “Gilead Sciences has been at the forefront of the industry in HIV prevention and treatment, consistently working to address the epidemic affecting nearly 40 million people worldwide by developing single-tablet oral regimens to reduce pill burden. In the realm of HIV, we are delighted to continue collaborating with such a strong partner.”
Currently, neither party has selected the drugs to focus on. However, The Boston Globe noted that Gilead Sciences’ Truvada, a best-selling HIV treatment approved in 2004, was subsequently approved in 2012 as the first preventive medication for healthy individuals engaging in high-risk sexual behavior to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Nevertheless, the company has faced intense criticism over Truvada’s pricing. When used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), Truvada costs approximately $1,675 per month, or about $20,000 annually.
Truvada’s patent protection in the United States is set to expire in 2021. If the drug is selected for use in this collaboration agreement with Lyndra, Gilead may seek additional patent protection, thereby extending its period of market exclusivity. (Bioon.com)