AbbVie and Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals entered a collaboration and option-to-license agreement to develop next-generation therapies for psychiatric disorders. This collaboration will leverage AbbVie’s expertise in psychiatry and Gilgamesh’s research platform to discover novel neuroplastogens.
 
Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to research and develop a portfolio of next-generation therapeutics for psychiatric disorders. Upon exercise of the option, AbbVie will lead development and commercialization activities. Gilgamesh will receive an upfront payment of $65 million and is eligible to receive up to $1.95 billion in aggregate option fees and milestones, as well as royalties on sales.
 
Next-generation psychedelic compounds, known as neuroplastogens, target mechanisms that have shown potential to provide significant clinical benefits and minimize the challenging effects of first-generation compounds, such as hallucinations. These new compounds hold promise for treating a variety of psychiatric conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders. Gilgamesh has leveraged an innovative research platform to successfully identify lead compounds in this novel class of therapeutics.
 
“Significant unmet need remains for people living with psychiatric disorders and we know that to innovate in this field, we need to pursue novel technologies and approaches,” said Jonathon Sedgwick, Ph.D., senior vice president and global head of discovery research at AbbVie. “We look forward to working with Gilgamesh’s world-class team to advance the development of novel neuroplastogens and pave the way for additional treatment approaches in psychiatry.”
 
“We are thrilled to partner with AbbVie, a global pharmaceutical company focused on innovation in psychiatric care, to address the pressing challenges in mental health treatment,” said Jonathan Sporn, M.D., chief executive officer at Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals. “Our collaboration will pioneer research of a new generation of therapies that hold great potential for improving patient outcomes.”