Corgentech has entered into an exclusive license to utilize Penetratin Endonuclear Delivery System of Cyclacel, a UK-based biopharmaceutical company, for use with Corgentech's transcription factor decoy (TF Decoy) technology platform. The Penetratin system is a proprietary peptide with unique carrier properties for delivery into cells.
The license grants Corgentech use of Cyclacel's Penetratin endonuclear delivery technology with TF Decoys. Cyclacel will receive an up-front payment, milestone payments, and royalties if licensed products are commercialized. No further financial terms were disclosed, according to a release.
Penetratin enables systemic cellular delivery by chemically linking to TF Decoys, and actively transporting the TF Decoy therapy into cells. Corgentech will have responsibility for the development and commercialization of TF Decoys combined with a Penetratin peptide, a family of short proprietary peptides.
Corgentech's TF Decoy technology is a new class of therapeutics that blocks the activity of multiple genes linked to a disease. The company has developed a proprietary method using controlled uniform pressure for efficient delivery of TF Decoys into cells and tissues. Its lead product, edifoligide (E2F Decoy) is a novel and proprietary TF Decoy delivered under pressure, which is in phase 3 clinical trials for the prevention of bypass vein graft failure.
"Penetratin peptides represent an exciting and versatile additional delivery technology that will help us to expand the number of diseases addressable by our drugs," said John McLaughlin, Corgentech's president and chief executive officer.
"We are pleased to work with Corgentech, a leader in transcription factor decoy technology, on this exciting project. Corgentech's selection of our Penetratin delivery technology to develop new generation transcription factor decoys is a promising new application. We look forward to working with further partners to realize the potential of our Penetratin technology," said Spiro Rombotis, Cyclacel's chief executive officer.
Corgentech is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of a new class of therapeutics called transcription factor decoys, or TF decoys.