News

Big and small join forces

Mid October Prosensa, the Dutch based biopharmaceutical company focusing on RNA modulating therapeutics, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide collaboration for the development and commercialization of RNA based therapeutics for Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Under the terms of agreement, GSK will obtain an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize Prosensa’s lead compound, PR0051 and an option on three additional compounds in DMD.

Jorg Janssen, Business Strategy Manager of TI Pharma, says: “This collaboration is a good example of value creation in the Netherlands, building upon our country’s strong knowledge base.” The financial terms include a 17 million euro upfront payment and if Prosensa is successful in the further development of these compounds, the company is eligible to receive up to 448 million euro and double digit royalties on future revenues.

Prosensa and GSK are both partners in TI Pharma. TI Pharma offers a platform for cooperation between academia, large industry and small industry, enabling partners to find each other and learn to trust each other. Janssen adds: “Our added value is that we are able to connect academia and industry, both large and small. Nearly all large pharmaceuticals companies are partner in TI Pharma. Joining TI Pharma is therefore attractive for the smaller pharmaceutical companies, it can help them to become more visible.”  

More information:
Press release GSK and Prosensa