Roche partners with Chicago autoimmune biotech COUR Pharmaceuticals

Roche's Genentech has entered into a collaboration with a biotech firm based in the Chicago area to develop nanoparticle treatments targeting a specific autoimmune disease. This partnership, involving Genentech and COUR Pharmaceuticals, was made public on Tuesday morning without revealing the exact autoimmune condition they are addressing.

Genentech has committed an initial payment of $40 million in upfront and near-term fees to secure COUR Pharmaceuticals’ nanoparticle technology. Additionally, the agreement allows for the possibility of Genentech providing over $900 million as the project progresses. COUR Pharmaceuticals will handle preclinical development before transferring its manufacturing expertise to Genentech, which will then oversee the clinical trials involving human participants.

This collaboration comes at a time of transition for COUR Pharmaceuticals, which is under new leadership. On September 1, Dannielle Appelhans was promoted to Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder John Puisis, who stepped down. Earlier this year, COUR Pharmaceuticals successfully raised $105 million in Series A funding. Prior to this, the company had already attracted approximately $100 million from investors and other partnerships, as noted by Puisis in an interview with Endpoints News.

The discussions between Genentech and COUR Pharmaceuticals had been ongoing for several years before solidifying this year when both parties agreed on targeting a specific autoimmune indication, according to Appelhans. COUR Pharmaceuticals is known for developing nanoparticle therapies that eliminate the need for immunosuppressive treatments. The company also houses an in-house manufacturing unit dedicated to these developments.

Steve Miller, the scientific founder of COUR Pharmaceuticals, has been exploring cellular debris within the immune system in efforts to reprogram it. In January, Puisis explained that they developed a polymer resembling the cell size, integrating a negative charge to interact with the immune system, along with an antigen to address autoimmunity. This polymer would carry the protein causing autoimmunity into the body, spleen, and liver to re-present itself, making the technology quite innovative.

Appelhans highlighted that their technology allows for a targeted approach in addressing and modifying the underlying causes of autoimmune diseases. COUR Pharmaceuticals’ pipeline features several promising treatments, including a mid-stage therapy for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a preclinical type 1 diabetes medication expected to enter clinical trials next year, and a drug candidate for celiac disease.

Currently, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company is leading the development of the celiac disease drug, named TAK-101. However, the future of the PBC treatment remains uncertain after Ironwood Pharmaceuticals decided not to proceed with development following Phase 2 data results. COUR Pharmaceuticals had the potential to earn up to $475 million in regulatory and commercial milestones from Ironwood. Despite this setback, Appelhans stated that COUR Pharmaceuticals still intends to advance the PBC drug.

Additionally, COUR Pharmaceuticals is exploring a partnership for another drug candidate, CNP-201, aimed at treating peanut allergies. The company had previously terminated a Phase 1 trial for this drug due to slow enrollment and administrative challenges, as recorded in the clinical trial database.

Looking towards the future, COUR Pharmaceuticals, currently employing 65 people, plans to relocate from its current location in Skokie to Evanston by January 2026. Evanston is notable as the home base of COUR’s founding lab at Northwestern University.