Servier and Miragen Therapeutics announced they have extended their research collaboration through September 2019. MicroRNA-92 has been added to the existing collaboration as a new therapeutic target, with the objective to start testing MRG-110 in humans within a year.
MRG-110 inhibits the activity of microRNA-92, which has been shown to be a regulator of new blood vessel creation in multiple peer reviewed scientific publications. This may indicate that MRG-110 could be useful in the treatment of ischemic disease, cardiovascular disease and certain other vascular flow related diseases.
Servier is responsible for leading the global clinical development and potential commercialization of MRG-110, and any other microRNA therapeutic product candidates developed through the collaboration in all countries except the United States and Japan, where miRagen retains all rights. miRagen has the right to utilize Servier generated data for regulatory filings in the United States and Japan. In conjunction with the amendment, Servier has returned to miRagen the rights to certain other preclinical programs. Servier has the option to add one additional microRNA target for research and development in cardiovascular disease under this collaboration through September 2019.
“We are highly excited to pursue our collaboration with miRagen, with the ambitious goal to develop a first-in-class compound in the field of regenerative therapy with what we believe has the potential to restore the microvascular density,” Isabelle Tupinon-Mathieu, M.D., Head of Cardiovascular and Metabolism Therapeutic Innovation Poles, V.P R&D at Servier said. “We really feel that, as a leader in cardiology, we have to use our expertise to find innovative answers to cover important medical needs.”
In October 2011, miRagen entered into a License and Collaboration Agreement with Servier with the goal of advancing microRNA-based therapies in cardiovascular disease and the agreement has been extended several times since then. Under the terms of the agreement, miRagen received an upfront payment in 2011 and an additional payment when Servier exercised its option to name a third target under the agreement in 2013. The May 2017 amendment provides Servier with an exclusive license to research, develop, and commercialize RNA-targeting therapeutics for one target in the cardiovascular field and the right to obtain such an exclusive license for another target to be named by Servier by a specified date. miRagen is also eligible to receive research and development milestone payments, commercial milestone payments and royalties on the sale of the products developed under the collaboration, if any. After the May 2017 amendment to the agreement, Servier will continue to finance the research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization costs of product candidates developed under the collaboration. Under the agreement, miRagen retains all commercialization rights in the United States and Japan for all product candidates developed under the collaboration, and the option to co-sponsor any Phase 3 clinical programs if miRagen elects to seek marketing approval in the United States or Japan for any product candidate developed under the collaboration.
“Our strategic collaboration with Servier continues to be focused on addressing cardiovascular diseases that have been difficult to treat with traditional therapeutic approaches,” William S. Marshall, President and CEO of miRagen Therapeutics, Inc. said. “Together, we believe we have made advancements in understanding microRNA therapeutics and we share a commitment to developing product candidates to treat diseases with high unmet medical need.”