Italy's Chiesi gains rights to uniQure's Glybera

Netherlands-based venture capital backed human gene therapy firm uniQure has signed collaboration agreements with privately-owned Italian drugmaker Chiesi Farmaceutici for the commercialization of Glybera (alipogene tiparvovec), the first gene therapy to receive regulatory approval in Europe, as well as the co-development of a gene therapy for
hemophilia B.

In connection with this transaction, uniQure has received 17 million euros ($21.8 million) in collaboration financing and 14 million euros in equity financing from Chiesi, and has converted into equity the previously announced 14.1 million euros investment led by Coller Capital (London, UK) with participation by existing investors.

Under the terms of the accord, Chiesi gains exclusive rights to commercialize Glybera, the first gene therapy product approved in the European Union for the treatment of the orphan disease lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD) for which there is currently no treatment, as well as for uniQure’s pipeline product for hemophilia B, in Europe and selected other countries (Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, and the CIS countries, plus China for Glybera only). Commercial rights for the US, Japan, and parts of Latin America and Asia, and Australasia remain with uniQure.