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news.US biotechnology companies Archemix and Isis Pharmaceuticals have entered into a strategic alliance that includes a broad intellectual property license agreement and research collaboration. Financial details were not disclosed.
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The agreement provides Archemix with access to approximately four hundred issued and pending Isis patents covering proprietary chemistries, analytical methods and manufacturing methods related to the research, development and commercialization of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics to discover and develop drugs based on Archemix’s proprietary Selex technology. Additionally, the companies will share their respective know-how in oligonucleotide therapeutic discovery and development.
Under the terms of the agreement, Isis licensed to Archemix certain of Isis’ patents relating to oligonucleotide compositions and methods exclusively for use in conjunction with aptamer therapeutics. Isis will receive milestones and royalties on aptamer therapeutics developed by Archemix that incorporate proprietary Isis chemistries or which utilize proprietary Isis analytical or manufacturing methods.
Additionally, Isis will receive a percentage of revenue generated by Archemix if Archemix sublicenses Isis’ intellectual property to a third party for the development of aptamer therapeutics. Isis also received a warrant to purchase an undisclosed number of shares of Archemix common stock.
Aptamers are synthetically-derived oligonucleotides, or short nucleic acid sequences. Aptamers represent an emerging class of potential therapeutic agents that Archemix believes may have broad application to treat a variety of human diseases. Aptamers have the ability to disrupt interactions between proteins, bind with high affinity and specificity to their targets and can be designed to have a specified duration of action.