SemaThera enters into exclusive research collaboration and licensing agreement with Roche
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
SemaThera Inc. announced the signing of a multi-year research collaboration and license agreement with Roche. The partnership will focus on the development of a promising new class of SemaThera biologics for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and other ischemic retinal diseases.
“We are very excited to combine our knowledge of the biology underlying the novel semaphorin 3A antagonists with Roche's expertise in the development and commercialization of innovative biologics in ophthalmology. We are therefore delighted to be working with Roche to pave the way for new treatment options that may benefit patients who currently have few or no options, ”said Garth Cumberlidge, President and CEO of SemaThera . “By supporting vessel regeneration of blood vessels in avascular areas of the retina and preventing excessive VEGF production and neovascularization, we aim to provide patients with a potentially modifying treatment for retinal ischemia. "
“The discovery and development of new drugs for the treatment of serious retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy is one of our areas of focus in ophthalmology,” said James Sabry, Global Head of Roche Pharma Partnering. "We look forward to working with SemaThera to explore the full potential of these new biologics to address an area where medical needs are unmet."
