Bayer boosts its gene therapy portfolio with lipid nanoparticle technology from Acuitas Therapeutics Inc.

Following the opening of an cell and gene therapy centre in the US, German Bayer AG opts for joining forces with Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc., a  developer of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery systems for ATMPs. The companies did not publish any financial details. However, comparable licencing deals ranged between US$400m – US$600m  such as the recent Takeda-Genevant deal.

According to Bayer, Acuitas’ platform will support the pharma company’s in vivo gene editing and protein replacement programs by intracelularly delivering RNA payloads to the liver. Acuitas’ LNP technology is used in multiple vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTec) and therapeutics in clinical development. This delivery technology protects the messenger RNA (mRNA) payload after administration allowing it to be safely and effectively delivered into cells. In addition to mRNA, Acuitas LNP can be used to deliver a range of different nucleic acid therapeutics including small interfering RNA (siRNA), antisense oligonucleotides and DNA.

Through the development and option for license agreement, Bayer and its gene therapy focused affiliate Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) will gain access to Acuitas’ high potency ionizable lipid technology and LNP carriers which will allow for efficient, targeted, and transient delivery of gene editing RNA components to the liver. Market-maturity combined with demonstrated manufacturing scalability will drive the development and has the potential to accelerate the path to the clinic of Bayer and AskBio’s first in vivo gene editing programs.