Pfizer and Munich-based biotech Sirana Pharma have announced a collaborative research agreement to investigate the potential identification and validation of a novel treatment concept for a rare bone disease.
The collaboration will utilize Sirana’s proprietary microRNA (miRNA)-targeting approach, which targets substantial regenerative recovery of diseased muscle and bone tissue. The focus is on osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease — a genetic disease that causes weak bones that break easily in addition to other symptoms.
The German company — a spin-off of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, founded in Sept. 2019 — has focused on the development of first-in-class molecules to treat both Sarcopenia (age related muscle weakness) and osteogenesis imperfecta.
“Combining Sirana’s novel miRNA-targeting approach, and the long-standing experience in musculoskeletal disorders and disease mechanisms of its founders, with the expertise and competencies of Pfizer will allow Sirana to expeditiously evaluate its drug candidates for the treatment of this rare disease and to identify potential candidates for further development,” said Michael Kring, CEO of Sirana.