Silence Therapeutics Earns $2M Milestone from Hansoh Pharma Collaboration

Silence Therapeutics plc, listed on Nasdaq under the ticker SLN, has made significant strides in the biotechnology sector. The company focuses on developing precision-engineered medicines that silence diseases. Recently, Silence announced a $2.0 million cash payment from Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited after achieving a second milestone in their collaborative project.

Craig Tooman, President and CEO of Silence Therapeutics, emphasized the importance of this milestone, highlighting the progress being made in their program with Hansoh. He noted the exciting advancements of Silence’s mRNAi GOLD™ platform, which is expanding its pipeline to target various genetic diseases.

The collaboration between Silence and Hansoh, initiated in October 2021, aims to develop short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) using Silence's proprietary mRNAi GOLD™ platform. This partnership targets three undisclosed diseases. According to the agreement, Silence holds exclusive rights to the first two targets globally, except in the China region. Hansoh, however, has the exclusive option to license these two targets in Greater China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, and holds global rights to the third target.

As part of this partnership, Hansoh initially paid $16 million upfront to Silence. The agreement potentially allows Silence to receive up to $1.3 billion in development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments. This collaboration has already yielded four research milestone payments, demonstrating significant progress.

Silence Therapeutics is known for its innovative approach to developing a new generation of medicines by utilizing RNA interference (RNAi). This technology inhibits the expression of specific target genes linked to diseases with high unmet needs. The company’s mRNAi GOLD™ platform is designed to create siRNAs that target and silence genes associated with diseases, particularly those affecting the liver. This represents a significant opportunity for therapeutic development.

Silence's product pipeline includes zerlasiran, aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk in individuals with elevated levels of lipoprotein(a), and divesiran, targeting rare hematological diseases such as polycythemia vera. The company also maintains research and development collaborations with notable entities, including AstraZeneca and Hansoh Pharma.

These developments underscore Silence Therapeutics' commitment to advancing its innovative RNAi-based therapies. The recent milestone payment from Hansoh marks a key step in their collaborative efforts to bring new treatments to the clinic, reflecting the potential of Silence’s mRNAi GOLD™ platform to address a wide range of genetic diseases.

Silence Therapeutics continues to focus on harnessing RNAi technology to create precision medicines that tackle significant medical challenges. The company's collaborative endeavors and expanding pipeline highlight its role as a leader in the biotechnology sector, dedicated to transforming lives through cutting-edge therapeutic solutions.