PeptiDream signs another big licensing deal, this one with Alnylam

Japanese biotech PeptiDream (TYO: 4587) has entered into a license and collaboration agreement with US RNAi therapeutics company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ALNY) to discover and develop peptide-siRNA conjugates to create multiple opportunities to deliver RNAi therapeutics to tissues outside the liver.

This comes hot on the heels of the news that PeptiDream has expanded its collaborations with fellow Japanese company Takeda (TYO: 4502) to create peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) for several central nervous system (CNS) targets. PeptiDream is eligible to receive up to around $3.5 billion in total as upfront and potential contingent payments from this accord. Over the last few years, PeptiDream has entered into a string of collaborations, including with pharma giants Novartis (NOVN: VX) and Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK).

Through this latest collaboration, the companies will collaborate to select and optimize peptides for targeted delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules to a wide range of cell types and tissues via specific interactions with receptors expressed on the target cells.