COUR Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing disease-modifying therapies designed to induce antigen-specific tolerance for immune-mediated diseases, entered a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, for the development and commercialization of COUR’s tolerogenic nanoparticle treatments for an autoimmune disease.
 
COUR is eligible for upfront and near-term milestones of $40 million, plus additional development, commercial and sales milestones that could exceed $900 million, as well as royalties on sales. Under the agreement, COUR is responsible for the preclinical development and technical transfer of manufacturing and Genentech will be responsible for clinical development, regulatory filing, and commercialization.
 
“We are excited to collaborate on the development of disease-modifying therapies leveraging COUR’s proprietary tolerance platform for the treatment of an autoimmune disease,” said Dannielle Appelhans, President and Chief Executive Officer of COUR. “We see Genentech as an ideal partner with world-class scientific expertise and together have an opportunity to build upon COUR’s clinical success to date in autoimmune diseases. Through this partnership, we believe we have the potential to have a significant impact on an important patient community.”
 
“We have a long and successful legacy of advancing innovative science and developing transformative medicines for people diagnosed with autoimmune diseases,” said Boris L. Zaïtra, Head of Roche Corporate Business Development. “Collaborating with innovative partners such as COUR supports our rigorous commitment to pioneering science in pursuit of advances in research, such as novel tolerogenic nanoparticle treatments, to deliver the most impactful medicines for patients with significant unmet needs.”