MeiraGTx Announces Collaboration with Eli Lilly

By Hao Liu • Monday, November 10 13:16 • Permanent Link

Meiragtx Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: MGTX) has announced a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company, focusing on the development and commercialization of genetic medicines in ophthalmology. As part of the collaboration, Meiragtx has granted Lilly worldwide exclusive rights to its aav-aipl1 program for the treatment of Leber Congenital Amaurosis 4 (LCA4), a severe inherited retinopathy. Clinical data from 11 children under the age of 4 who were born legally blind due to mutations in the aipl1 gene showed unprecedented results, with all 11 children gaining vision after treatment with aav-aipl1. This treatment also resulted in significant benefits in areas such as communication, behavior, learning, mood, psychological benefits, and social integration.

Under the terms of the agreement, Meiragtx will receive an upfront payment of $75 million and is eligible to receive over $400 million in total milestone payments. Additionally, Meiragtx will receive tiered royalties on licensed products.

Meiragtx's President and CEO, Alexandria Forbes, Ph.D., expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating that the company has been dedicated to treating patients with serious eye conditions since its inception. Dr. Forbes emphasized the company's leadership in the field of genetic medicine and the power of its proprietary gene therapy technologies for both rare and prevalent ocular diseases.

Andrew Adams, Lilly Group Vice President, Molecule Discovery, commented on the partnership, noting that ophthalmology is an emerging area of interest for Lilly. He expressed excitement about partnering with Meiragtx to bring transformative treatments to patients suffering from eye diseases.

Meiragtx is a vertically integrated, clinical-stage genetic medicines company with a broad pipeline, including four late-stage clinical programs. The company's pipeline encompasses various disease areas, including the eye, Parkinson's disease, and radiation-induced xerostomia.

As a result of these announcements, the company's shares have moved 0.71% on the market, and are now trading at a price of $8.47. If you want to know more, read the company's complete 8-K report here.

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