Protalix and Secarna Partner to Develop AI-Powered Antisense Therapies for Rare Kidney Diseases
Key Insights
Protalix BioTherapeutics and Secarna Pharmaceuticals (search) have entered a collaboration agreement to develop antisense oligonucleotide therapies for rare renal indications (search) using AI-powered drug discovery.
The partnership combines Protalix's rare disease expertise with Secarna's proprietary OligoCreator® platform to advance programs from preclinical stage to clinical trials.
Protalix receives an exclusive option to license any active compounds derived from the research for potential clinical development and commercialization worldwide.
Protalix BioTherapeutics and Secarna Pharmaceuticals (search) announced a collaboration and option agreement to jointly develop novel antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies targeting multiple biological pathways in rare renal indications (search). The partnership leverages Secarna's AI-empowered OligoCreator® platform combined with Protalix's established expertise in rare disease therapeutics.
Strategic Partnership Details
Under the collaboration agreement, Protalix has selected pharmaceutical targets with fundamental biological roles in rare renal indications (search), while Secarna will apply its proprietary AI-powered oligonucleotide discovery platform to design and profile ASO candidates against those targets. The companies aim to advance these programs from preclinical stage to clinical trials through their combined research and development expertise.
Protalix gains an exclusive option to an exclusive, worldwide milestone and royalty bearing license to further develop, market and commercialize therapeutic programs emerging from this collaboration. This structure provides Protalix with strategic flexibility while allowing both companies to leverage their respective strengths in drug discovery and development.
Expanding into RNA Technologies
"This collaboration represents our first expansion into the rare kidney disease (search) space leveraging RNA technologies, demonstrating the implementation of our previously updated research strategy," said Dror Bashan, Protalix's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have started to leverage our development experience to increase our footprint as a rare disease therapeutics company."
The partnership marks a significant strategic shift for Protalix, which has traditionally focused on enzyme replacement therapies produced through its proprietary plant cell-based expression system, ProCellEx®. The company currently has two enzyme replacement therapies available in multiple markets and has successfully partnered with major pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer for Elelyso® and Chiesi Farmaceutici (search) for Elfabrio®.
AI-Powered Drug Discovery Platform
Secarna's OligoCreator® platform represents a key technological component of the collaboration, offering AI-empowered oligonucleotide discovery and development capabilities. The platform includes multiple delivery technologies designed to identify and characterize oligonucleotide therapeutics with enhanced speed and improved safety and efficacy profiles.
"We are truly excited to collaborate with Protalix, a company with a strong track record in developing and bringing therapies for rare diseases to the market," said Konstantin Petropoulos, Ph.D., Secarna Pharmaceuticals (search)' Chief Executive Officer. "This collaboration combines Secarna's proven expertise in rapidly generating high-quality antisense candidates with Protalix's deep expertise in advancing programs to patients worldwide."
Addressing Unmet Medical Needs
The collaboration specifically targets rare renal indications (search), an area with significant unmet medical needs. By delivering targeted oligonucleotide therapies to specific cells, organs, or tissues where they are needed, the partnership aims to develop treatments for conditions that are currently beyond the reach of existing therapeutic approaches.
Both companies emphasized their commitment to bringing forward precise and differentiated oligonucleotide therapies for people affected by severe kidney disorders (search). The partnership structure allows for the exploration of new biological pathways while maintaining focus on advancing promising targets toward clinical development.
Company Backgrounds
Protalix BioTherapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, production and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for rare diseases. The company was the first to gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of a protein produced through plant cell-based in suspension expression system.
Secarna Pharmaceuticals (search) specializes in redefining the discovery and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics, with its proprietary AI-empowered platform designed to transform untreatable conditions into treatable ones. The company's approach focuses on delivering novel therapeutics with unparalleled speed and excellent safety and efficacy profiles.