Oncolys Buys Stake in Tacere; Will Co-Develop Its RNAi HCV Rx
Oncolys BioPharma has made an undisclosed equity investment in Tacere Therapeutics and plans to co-develop the company’s RNAi-based hepatitis C candidate.
The candidate, TT-033, is Tacere’s lead clinical program.
Under the agreement, Oncolys has also been granted an option to acquire the Asian rights for TT-033, which Oncolys will market as OBP-701.
“Following our recent successful pre-IND meeting with the FDA, we share the excitement of seeing this product advance to the clinic,” Sara Hall, president and CEO of Tacere, said in a statement. “HCV continues to be a significant public health crisis in Japan, China, and Korea, and we look forward to Oncolys’ expert guidance along the regulatory and marketing path in Asia.”
Thermo Fisher Opens RNAi Discovery, Rx Lab
Thermo Fisher Scientific, the parent firm of Dharmacon, said this week that it has opened a new RNAi Discovery and Therapeutic Services laboratory at its RNAi research and production center in Lafayette, Colo.
The lab offers RNAi screening and analysis services, as well as development of new therapeutic technologies involving RNAi, according to the company.
Though primarily known as a reagent provider, Dharmacon began collaborating with Abbott on the discovery and development of RNAi-based drugs last year (see RNAi News, 7/13/2006).