Allergan acquires biotech Retrosense for $60 million
pharmafile | September 7, 2016 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing |Â Â Allergan, Retrosense, acquisitionÂ
Allergan has announced that it has acquired Retrosense, a biotech focused on novel gene therapy approaches to restore vision in patients suffering from blindness, in a $60 million all-cash payment.
“The acquisition of RetroSense and its RST-001 program builds on Allergan’s deep commitment to eye care, and our focus on investing in game-changing innovation for retinal conditions, including Retinitis Pigmentosa, where patients desperately need treatment options,” remarked Brent Saunders, CEO and president of Allergan.
As part of the move, the firm has also secured potential regulatory and commercialisation milestone payments related to the biotech’s lead development programme RST-001, a gene therapy for the potential treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a group of rare, inherited genetic disorders characterised by progressive peripheral vision loss and night vision difficulties followed by eventual central vision loss and blindness in many cases. Approximately 100,000 people living in the US and 14 to 33 per 100,000 people worldwide suffer from the disorder.
RST-001 is an optogenetic approach that confers light sensitivity to cells that were not previously, or natively, light sensitive. By applying optogenetics to retinas in which rod and cone photoreceptors have degenerated, the technology introduces additional light sensitivity to the retina. The approach employs a photosensitivity gene, channelrhodopsin-2, to create new photosensors in retinal ganglion cells to potentially restore vision in retinal degenerative conditions. In 2014, RST-001 received an Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of RP.
“The RST-001 programme and its optogenetic gene therapy approach could be a real breakthrough in the treatment of unmet needs across a host of retinal conditions, including RP,” said David Nicholson, chief research and development officer at Allergan. “The team at Allergan is excited by the prospect of advancing an entirely new approach in the treatment of retinal diseases, and this technology is highly complementary to our ongoing development programs in this critical treatment area.”
Former CEO of RetroSense Therapeutics Sean Ainsworth added:”With its deep commitment to eye care, strong eye care professional community network, and its commitment to advancing innovation across retinal conditions, Allergan was the most compelling partner and the best strategic fit to advance the development of RST-001 and maximise the potential for this technology platform. The addition of RST-001 to Allergan’s world-class eye care development and commercialisation organization will position this potentially revolutionary technology to be used by ophthalmology professionals to improve the treatment of patients with retinal diseases around the world.”
Matt Fellows
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