BRIEF—PeptiDream in new collaboration with Novartis

Japanese biotech PeptiDream has announced a new peptide drug conjugate (PDC) collaboration with Swiss pharma major Novartis.

PeptiDream will use its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System technology to identify new macrocylic and constrained peptides, to be used as PDCs against numerous targets of interest, chosen by Novartis.

Under the terms of the agreement, Novartis will have exclusive rights to the program peptides for radionuclide payloads and conjugates as well as small molecule payloads and conjugates, for both therapeutic and diagnostic uses.

PeptiDream will receive an upfront payment and R&D funding, and is eligible for pre-clinical, clinical, approval and commercial sales milestones, as well as royalties on future sales of any marketed products emerging from the partnership.

The long-standing macrocyclic peptide discovery alliance between the companies has been in place since 2012.