Partnership Aims to Bring Novel Gastroenterology Therapies to Worldwide Market

Parvus Therapeutics and Genentech have entered into a worldwide collaboration and licensing agreement for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune liver diseases, and celiac disease.¹ These treatments rely on nanomedicines (Navacim) developed by Parvus.^1,2

According to Parvus, nanomedicines are nanoparticles coated with disease-relevant peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs) that alter the behavior of pathogenic T lymphocytes by binding directly to their antigen receptors. These nanomedicines reprogram white blood cells to become regulatory cells capable of blunting autoimmune responses and restoring the equilibrium of the immune system.²

“Our collaboration with Genentech is now the second partnership that we’ve entered into with a major biopharmaceutical company, which we believe reinforces the potential of our Navacim immunoregulatory therapeutic platform,” said Curtis Ruegg, PhD, President & CEO of Parvus, in a prepared statement.¹ “Partnering with Genentech will enable Parvus to expand the Navacim pipeline to address several debilitating autoimmune diseases in gastroenterology.”

Under the terms of the Agreement, Parvus will conduct preclinical development and clinical development activities through Phase I. Genentech will be responsible for clinical development from Phase II and beyond, including global regulatory submissions and worldwide commercialization of products.¹

“Parvus’ technology represents a potentially transformative approach for treating autoimmune diseases by inducing immune tolerance without causing generalized immune suppression,” said James Sabry, MD, PhD, Global Head of Pharma Partnering, Roche, in a prepared statement.¹

“In preclinical testing, Parvus’ platform has shown the ability to induce and expand disease-specific regulatory T cells, which restore immune system balance and halt the autoimmune disease process. We look forward to working with the Parvus team to hopefully bring this exciting advancement to patients,” Sabry added.¹

Under the agreement with Genentech, Parvus will receive an undisclosed upfront payment. The company also is eligible to receive research, development and commercialization milestone payments for each disease area within the collaboration—based on achievement of certain predetermined milestones—and additional milestone payments in other disease areas. In addition, Parvus is eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the collaboration.¹

References

• Parvus Therapeutics Enters into Worldwide Collaboration and License Agreement with Genentech to Develop Navacim™ Therapeutics for the Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases [news release]. Burlingame, CA and Calgary, AB; May 16, 2019: Parvus. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190516005018/en?rel=0. Accessed May 20, 2019.
• Parvus Therapeutics’ Nanotechnology Treatment Reprograms Immune Cells to Reverse Autoimmune Disease, as Published in Nature [news release]. Calgary, AB; February 17, 2016: Parvus. https://parvustx.com/parvus-therapeutics-nanotechnology-treatment-reprograms-immune-cells-to-reverse-autoimmune-disease-as-published-in-nature/?rel=0. Accessed May 20, 2019.