Hovione, an international integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, and Firstgene Life Sciences, a portfolio company of the Swiss incubator Xlife Sciences AG, have entered a strategic collaboration to advance Hovione’s proprietary virus-like particle drug delivery platform for the targeted treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), a therapeutic indication developed by Firstgene.

Under the terms of the collaboration, Hovione will grant Firstgene an exclusive license to its proprietary novel targeted Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV)-Like particle technology for the treatment of HCC and will provide preclinical R&D services.

The virus-like particle technology will be engineered and functionalized for the specific carcinoma cell type using therapeutically validated AAVs, including a novel primer compound. Hovione will be responsible for molecular engineering, the supply of tailor-made virus-like particles, and the execution of proof-of-concept studies.

“We are thrilled to see our new gene vector particle platform adopted by Firstgene and its forward-thinking leadership team,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, CEO of Hovione. “We are proud to advance the development of innovative oncology treatments that address a critical unmet need for precision gene expression at the tissue level. This partnership is a testament to our mission of turning scientific complexity into real-world solutions that truly make a difference for patients.”

“HCC, the most common liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related death, continues to represent a major unmet medical need. The combination of Hovione’s expertise in complex chemistry and particle engineering and the commercialization expertise of Xlife Sciences positions Firstgene well to offer patients potential new safe and effective therapy options,” said Dr. Alexander Zink, Managing Director of Firstgene Life Sciences GmbH.