Astellas and NapaJen Establish Research Collaboration for Discovery and Development of Novel Oligonucleotides

NapaJen Pharma, Inc., a biotherapeutics company leveraging its proprietary oligonucleotide delivery technology to develop novel agents, announced that the company has entered into a research collaboration with Astellas Pharma Inc. for the discovery and development of novel oligonucleotide therapeutics. Under terms of the deal, NapaJen will receive an upfront payment and research funding upon execution of the agreement.  NapaJen will also be eligible for payments associated with the achievement of key research milestones.

The companies will jointly collaborate on the discovery and creation of novel oligonucleotide drug candidates utilizing NapaJen’s novel delivery technology. NapaJen will be responsible for providing Astellas with a therapeutic complex combining the novel oligonucleotide with NapaJen’s proprietary schizophyllan delivery vehicle for further development.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with Astellas on the research and development of novel oligonucleotide drug candidates featuring our novel, oligonucleotide delivery technology. NapaJen believes that oligonucleotide-based drugs possess tremendous therapeutic potential and commits to unlock this potential by overcoming the key delivery challenges that have limited the class to date,” said Hironori Ando, co-founder, president and chief executive officer of NapaJen. “We believe that our proprietary delivery technology has the unique potential to efficiently and selectively deliver oligonucleotides to target cells, resulting in the desired therapeutic activity without troubling off-target effects.”