XyloCor Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel gene therapies for cardiovascular disease, and SmartWise, a unit of SmartCella Holding AB, have entered into a licensing agreement under which XyloCor has rights to the Extroducer Infusion Catheter System, an endovascular device designed to deliver advanced therapies directly into the heart and hard-to-reach tissues. 

XyloCor plans to deploy the Extroducer to support catheter-based endocardial delivery of its lead gene therapy candidate XC001 (encoberminogene rezmadenovec) in future clinical studies and commercial use. 

“This agreement with SmartCella will enable XyloCor to build upon its robust foundation of efficacy and safety data for XC001 by offering the potential for improved safety and ease of delivery without surgery via this novel catheter,” said Al Gianchetti, President and CEO of XyloCor. “Teaming up with SmartCella will help in our effort to optimize patient safety and tolerability while maintaining accurate delivery of XC001 to target areas in the heart for patients with refractory angina. It also opens up the potential to develop XC001 earlier in the coronary artery disease progression for even larger patient groups.”

XC001 is designed to reduce ischemic burden by creating new blood vessels in the heart through the local expression of multiple isoforms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). With the use of the Extroducer catheter, XyloCor can offer patients a better delivery option for local administration of XC001 directly to the heart, that is less invasive and eliminates potential risks associated with surgical administration.

“The collaboration underscores the transformative potential of the Extroducer in delivering XC001 therapy for patients with refractory angina,” said Niklas Prager, CEO of SmartCella.

Terms of the agreement include a global license to XyloCor for use of the Extroducer for the administration of XC001 and provide for SmartCella to supply catheters to XyloCor in clinical trials and commercial use in exchange for an upfront payment, clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones and a royalty on sales. Total deal value amounts to approximately $130 million and mid-single digit royalties.