Seamless Therapeutics has entered a global research collaboration and licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company under the Seamless Therapeutics Eli Lilly hearing loss collaboration, focused on developing programmable recombinase-based genetic medicines for hearing loss.
The collaboration will unite Seamless Therapeutics’ recombinase platform with Lilly’s expertise in hearing-loss diseases. The platform aims to facilitate the integration of large and accurate DNA sequences at specific locations in the genome, independent of cellular DNA repair mechanisms.
“By combining Seamless’ recombinase programming with Lilly’s development expertise in hearing loss, this agreement creates an efficient path from in vitro design to the clinic,” said Albert Seymour, PhD, chief executive officer of Seamless Therapeutics. “Building on the progress Seamless has made in the development of programmable recombinases, the collaboration aims to advance the platform’s disease-modifying potential and translate it into meaningful patient benefits.”
Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions with unmet medical needs. While treatment options exist for many causes of hearing loss, options are lacking for many forms of inherited hearing loss. Genetic mutations are thought to cause up to half of all cases of hearing loss. This has fueled interest in highly specific gene-editing strategies that can fix the underlying genetic defect with minimal off-target effects in the genome.
The Seamless Therapeutics Eli Lilly hearing loss collaboration centers on advancing programmable recombinases, enzymes engineered to insert, exchange, invert, or remove DNA sequences with improved specificity. Seamless’s platform operates independently of endogenous DNA repair mechanisms, addressing limitations associated with other gene-editing strategies.
Seamless will work to create gene-targeted site-specific recombinases for genes associated with deafness. Lilly will obtain an exclusive license to the recombinases and will be responsible for preclinical development, clinical development and potential commercialization.
“Lilly is invested in advancing novel treatment approaches for genetic diseases and shares our vision of bringing genetic medicines to patients who currently have limited treatment options. This collaboration is a validation of our gene editing platform and its broad disease-modifying potential,” said Seymour. “We look forward to working with our partners at Lilly in our shared goal to transform the outcome for patients with genetic hearing loss. It’s an exciting opportunity to apply our technology to bring treatments to patients with hearing loss and continue to expand the therapeutic potential for programmable recombinases through our proprietary pipeline.”
Seamless Therapeutics will get an upfront payment and committed R&D funds. Seamless is eligible for up to $1.12 billion in total consideration, which includes development and commercial milestones. The amount does not include tiered royalties. Additional financial terms were not revealed.
