Dyno Therapeutics deal with Roche has potential for $1.8 billion milestones

US artificial intelligence (AI) to gene therapy focussed biotech Dyno Therapeutics has signed a collaboration and license agreement with Roche (ROG: SIX) to apply Dyno’s CapsidMa platform for the development of next-generation adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for gene therapies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases and liver-directed therapies for the portfolio of both Roche and its Spark Therapeutics subsidiary.

Dyno Therapeutics, which was spun out of the lab of Professor George Church of Harvard and formed in late 2018 with a $9 million financing co-led by Polaris Partners and CRV, emerged from stealth in May this year, when it also announced a deal with the other Swiss pharma giant, Novartis (NOVN: VX), as well as one with US biotech Sarepta Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRPT), which combined may be worth around $2 billion.

Under the terms of the latest accord, Dyno will be responsible for the design of novel AAV capsids with improved functional properties for gene therapy, while Roche and Spark Therapeutics will be responsible for conducting pre-clinical, clinical and commercialization activities for gene therapy product candidates using the novel capsids.