Roche’s Genentech has entered into a global collaboration and licensing agreement with Parvus Therapeutics, a privately held biopharmaceutical company, to develop, manufacture and commercialize Navacim therapeutics for treating autoimmune disorders, in a deal worth up to more than $800 million.

Navacim therapeutics are Parvus’ proprietary drug candidates for targeting autoimmune diseases through a precision medicine platform. In preclinical disease models, Navacims have demonstrated broad therapeutic activity and disease reversal across a range of autoimmune disorders including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), autoimmune liver disease (ALD) while maintaining immunocompetence to resist viral, microbial, and tumor instances, according to information from the company.

Under the agreement, Genentech is to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Navacim therapeutics to treat IBD, autoimmune liver disease, and celiac disease. Parvus will conduct preclinical and clinical development activities through Phase I. Genentech will continue with clinical development through Phase II and beyond, including global regulatory submissions and global commercialization.

Parvus will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible to receive research, development and commercialization milestone payments for each disease area within the collaboration, based on achievement of certain predetermined milestones. Parvus is also eligible to receive certain additional milestone payments in other disease areas as well as royalties on net sales of products resulting from the collaboration.

Source: Parvus Therapeutics