The companies will leverage MiNA Therapeutics’ small activating RNA (saRNA) technology platform to develop the drug candidates.
Using its saRNA platform, MiNA Therapeutics will research up to five targets selected by Lilly that aim to address diseases across the latter’s key therapeutic focus areas.
Eli Lilly and Company new therapeutic modalities vice-president Andrew Adams said: “Small activating RNAs are a promising new technology, which will expand the breadth of Lilly’s RNA therapeutics platform and the targets we can pursue.
“We are excited about the potential of combining MiNA’s leading saRNA platform and our expertise in new modalities to accelerate development of RNA-based medicines in areas of high unmet medical need.”
Activities related to preclinical and clinical development of candidates will be handled by Lilly, which will also retain exclusive commercialisation rights for any products that will be developed as part of the collaboration.
Lilly will make a $25m upfront payment to MiNA Therapeutics.
Additionally, MiNA Therapeutics will be eligible for $245m potential development and commercialisation milestones per target, and tiered royalties from the low-single to low-double digits on product sales that result from the collaboration.
MiNA Therapeutics CEO Robert Habib said: “This collaboration with Lilly is an important validation of our saRNA platform. Lilly’s expertise in the field of RNA therapeutics and clinical development will greatly enhance our efforts to realise the technology’s full potential.
“Together, we aim to unlock new targets in multiple therapeutic areas and to ultimately move them towards clinical development and commercialisation.”
The company is also advancing a pipeline of new medicines with an initial focus on cancer and genetic diseases.