AbbVie, firming up its portfolio as it braces for the loss of patent protection on top-selling Humira, has entered a partnership with REGENXBIO to develop and commercialize RGX-314, a gene therapy candidate for the treatment of chronic retinal diseases.
Under the terms of the agreement, AbbVie will pay Maryland-based REGENXBIO a $370 million upfront payment with the potential for REGENXBIO to receive up to $1.38 billion in additional development, regulatory and commercial milestones.
RGX-314, which consists of the NAV AAV8 vector, which encodes an antibody fragment designed to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor, is currently in a pivotal trial for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disorder causing blurred vision or a blind spot in the visual field. It is also being studied in patients with wet AMD and diabetic retinopathy in two separate phase 2 clinical trials.
Per the new deal, REGENXBIO will be responsible for the completion of the ongoing studies of RGX-314 and both companies will share the costs of additional trials. AbbVie will lead the clinical development and commercialization of RGX-314 globally.
Read the press release