27 Sept, 2023
The world of biotechnology is constantly evolving, with companies collaborating and investing in innovative projects to advance medical science. In one recent development, AbbVie, a prominent pharmaceutical company, has chosen to terminate its partnership with Caribou Biosciences, a Berkeley-based biotech company. Let’s delve into this decision and what it means for the field of genomics.
The Decision
AbbVie’s decision to end its collaboration and license agreement with Caribou Biosciences was not driven by performance issues or disappointing results. Instead, it was a strategic move by the company. The termination of this partnership is set to officially take effect on October 25, 2023, leaving many in the industry curious about the implications.
The Initial Partnership
The partnership between AbbVie and Caribou, announced in February 2021, aimed to advance allogeneic CAR-T therapeutics for undisclosed AbbVie programs. AbbVie committed to an initial payment of $40 million and the possibility of up to $300 million in milestone payments. In return, Caribou provided AbbVie access to its cutting-edge Cas12a chRDNA genome-editing and CAR-T cell therapy technologies.
Caribou’s CEO, Rachel Haurwitz, initially saw this partnership as a testament to their platform’s capabilities. She believed that Caribou’s technologies could offer unprecedented efficiency and precision in the world of gene editing and cellular therapies.
A Closer Look at chRDNA
To understand the significance of this partnership, it’s important to grasp the technology at its core. Traditional genome-editing tools, often based on CRISPR technology, use a guide molecule made of RNA to locate specific DNA sequences for editing. However, this method can lack precision and may result in unintended changes in the DNA.
Caribou aimed to improve this process by introducing a modification called chRDNA. This modification enhanced the precision of the guide molecule, ensuring that the Cas complex would make cuts only at the intended locations. This innovation had the potential to revolutionize the field of genome editing.
AbbVie’s Strategic Shift
Despite the initial optimism, AbbVie has decided not to advance the two programs they were working on with Caribou Biosciences. As a result, all licenses granted under the agreement will be discontinued. This move is part of a broader strategic shift by AbbVie to refine its cancer research portfolio.
AbbVie also recently terminated a contract with I-Mab, a company working on the anti-CD47 antibody lemzoparlimab for myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. This decision followed AbbVie’s discontinuation of two Phase Ib studies in these disease areas in August 2022.
Additionally, AbbVie chose not to exercise its exclusive licensing option for Harpoon Therapeutics’ investigational treatment HPN217, designed for multiple myeloma. Harpoon will continue its Phase I clinical trial and advance HPN217 through further phases of development.
In August 2023, AbbVie streamlined its cancer research efforts by discontinuing two early-stage candidates—one for solid tumors and another for relapsed or refractory lung cancer.
In Conclusion
AbbVie’s decision to end its partnership with Caribou Biosciences is a strategic move that reflects the evolving landscape of biotechnology research. While this decision may seem like a setback for Caribou, it’s important to remember that partnerships in the biotech industry can be complex and subject to change as companies adapt to their evolving goals and priorities.
As we look to the future, it’s clear that the world of genomics and biotechnology will continue to see shifts, innovations, and new collaborations that have the potential to reshape medicine and healthcare as we know it. AbbVie’s strategic decisions are just one part of this ever-evolving narrative.
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