Astellas takes option on JVS-100 gene therapy program

22 November 2018

Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) saw its shares gain 2.44% to 1,699 yen today, after it revealed it had entered into an exclusive, worldwide (excluding China) option and license agreement for US biotech Juventas Therapeutics’ lead product candidate, JVS-100.

JVS-100 is a non-viral gene therapy that expresses stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), a naturally occurring signaling protein that activates the endogenous tissue repair pathways.

The agreement grants to Astellas a license to conduct research and to develop JVS-100 through Phase IIa clinical studies with an option to acquire JVS-100 from Juventas for further development and commercialization. Astellas currently plans to focus development efforts on the treatment of fecal incontinence (FI).

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free. A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Try before you buy

Free

7 day trial access

Take a Free Trial

All the news that moves the needle in pharma and biotech
Exclusive features, podcasts, interviews, data analyses and commentary from our global network of life sciences reporters.
Receive The Pharma Letter daily news bulletin, free forever.

Become a subscriber

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now

Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription

The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK