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ARTICLE | Company News

Voyager, AbbVie partner for AD gene therapies

February 20, 2018 10:35 PM UTC

Gene therapy company Voyager Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VYGR) jumped $4.30 (22%) to $23.66 on Tuesday after partnering with AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) to develop gene therapies to express microtubule-associated protein tau (tau; MAPT; FTDP-17) antibodies to treat Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Using Voyager's adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy platform, the partners will develop AAV vectors that can permeate the blood-brain barrier to deliver tau antibodies in an effort to overcome the poor barrier penetration of IV-infused antibody therapeutic approaches, which require frequent IV infusions.

Voyager will conduct research and preclinical development of the antibody-expressing AAV vectors. AbbVie may select candidates to bring into IND-enabling studies and clinical development; Voyager would be responsible for conducting and funding research, IND-enabling and Phase I studies for such selected candidates. Following completion of Phase I studies, AbbVie has an option to license the program and lead further clinical development and global commercialization for tauopathies. Voyager has an option to share in the costs of clinical development in exchange for higher royalty rates...