Biogen and C4 Therapeutics have entered into a strategic collaboration to investigate the use of C4’s novel protein degradation platform to discover and develop potential new treatments for neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
 
C4 will provide expertise and research services in targeted protein degradation and Biogen will provide neuroscience expertise and drug development capabilities. Biogen and C4 will research potential targets together and Biogen will advance candidates for development and potential commercialization. Biogen will pay C4 up to a total of $415 million in upfront and potential future milestone payments plus potential future royalties. Biogen expects to record a research and development expense of $15 million to $25 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 related to this transaction.
 
“C4T’s platform enables the discovery of novel molecules that take advantage of endogenous protein degradation mechanisms to target disease-causing proteins,” said Michael Ehlers, executive vice president, research and development, Biogen. “This new collaboration with C4 complements our broader research strategy to develop potential therapies for neurological conditions across multiple modalities. We look forward to discovering new potential therapeutic options for diseases that currently have limited-to-no treatment options available.”
 
Andy Phillips, president and chief executive officer, C4 Therapeutics, said, “We are excited to work with our Biogen colleagues to take on the challenge of researching new potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other devastating neurological diseases. Our approach of using the cell’s innate mechanisms to eliminate specific, disease-causing proteins is a promising new way to tackle the challenges of central nervous system diseases. Together with Biogen, a global leader in neuroscience, we are eager to embark on this important effort.”
 
In another deal, with Skyhawk Therapeutics Biogen has formed a collaboration in which the companies will leverage Skyhawk’s SkySTAR technology platform with the goal of discovering innovative small molecule treatments for patients with neurological diseases. Biogen will have the option to license therapies resulting from the collaboration and will be responsible for their development and potential commercialization.
 
The agreement grants Biogen an exclusive license to worldwide intellectual property rights on research-stage therapeutic candidates for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and additional neurological disorders. As part of the agreement, Skyhawk received an upfront payment of $74 million from Biogen and may receive potential future milestone payments and royalties. A portion of the upfront payment will be allocated to future research services, with the remainder expensed in the first quarter of 2019 as research and development.
 
“Skyhawk’s platform offers a powerful approach to target neurological conditions using selective RNA-modulating small molecules, creating exciting possibilities for potential new therapies,” said Biogen’s Mr. Ehlers. “This collaboration exemplifies Biogen’s commitment to joining forces with innovative companies with the goal of improving the lives of patients living with complex neurological diseases.”
 
Bill Haney, co-founder and chief executive officer, Skyhawk, said, “Biogen is a leading neuro-focused biopharmaceutical company with a compelling history of drug development across a range of challenging neurological conditions. Their strong scientific culture has already produced a series of leading global therapeutics. We look forward to working with their team with the goal of potentially enhancing the treatment options we could bring to the neuroscience community.”