Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., a genomic medicine company, has entered into a license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, allowing Lilly to leverage Sangamo’s novel proprietary neurotropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid, STAC-BBB, which has demonstrated potent blood-brain barrier penetration and neuronal transduction in nonhuman primates.

The agreement grants Lilly a worldwide exclusive license to utilize the STAC-BBB capsid for one initial target, with the right to add up to four additional targets after paying additional licensed target fees, to deliver their intravenously administered genomic medicines to treat certain diseases of the central nervous system.

“We believe STAC-BBB, our industry-leading intravenously delivered AAV capsid, has the potential to play an important role in the treatment landscape by addressing longstanding challenges associated with delivering therapies to the central nervous system,” said Sandy Macrae, CEO of Sangamo. “We are pleased to be sharing STAC-BBB with Lilly to advance potential treatments for neurological diseases with significant unmet medical needs. This marks the third agreement with a pharmaceutical company since we announced the discovery of STAC-BBB in March 2024 and demonstrates the continued industry interest in our capsid delivery technology.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Sangamo is responsible for completing a technology transfer related to the STAC-BBB capsid. Lilly is responsible for all research, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory interactions, manufacturing, and global commercialization of any resulting gene therapy products.

Sangamo will receive an $18 million upfront license fee from Lilly and is eligible to earn up to $1.4 billion in additional licensed target fees and milestone payments across the five potential neurology disease targets, as well as tiered royalties on potential net sales of such products, subject to certain specified reductions.