CytomX and Moderna partner to develop mRNA-based therapeutics

CytomX Therapeutics will combine its Probody platform with Moderna’s mRNA technology to create and advance therapeutics for oncology and non-oncology conditions.

The partnership and licensing agreement, which aims to generate investigational messenger RNA (mRNA) based conditionally activated therapies, will use Moderna’s mRNA technologies alongside CytomX’s Probody therapeutic platform.

According to CytomX, its platform enables proteins to activate in diseased tissue while remaining masked in systemic circulation, expanding the availability of new targets for the potential treatment of a large range of diseases.

Image: DepositPhotos/albertyurolaits

“At CytomX, we have always embraced bold science in building the potential of Probody therapeutics and we are thrilled to be joining forces with Moderna in oncology as well as expanding our technology to areas outside oncology where we believe there is great potential,” said Sean McCarthy, CEO and Chairman of CytomX.

“Moderna’s global impact has shown the enormous power of mRNA and we look forward to working closely with our newest collaborator to bring novel, mRNA-based conditionally activated therapeutics to patients with unmet medical needs.”

Under the terms of the collaboration, CytomX will receive an upfront payment of $35 million with the possibility to collect more depending on specific milestones, additional research, and royalty payments.

In other news, Moderna also signed a deal last week to buy Japan-based firm OriCiro Genomics for $85 million, making it the company’s first-ever acquisition and providing it with the tools needed for cell-synthesis and amplification of plasmid DNA (pDNA).