Mireca Signs Deal with Graybug Vision to Develop Treatments for Inherited Retinal Diseases

Mireca Medicines announced it has established an exclusive partnership with Graybug Vision to develop Mireca’s proprietary cGMP analogues for the treatment of inherited retinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis and Stargardt’s disease, using Graybug’s proprietary sustained-release drug delivery technologies.

Under the terms of the partnership, Graybug gains exclusive access to Mireca’s extensive library of protein kinase G (PKG) modulators and will be responsible for the research, development, manufacturing, as well as commercialization of these cGMP analogues for the treatment of diseases of the eye and ear. Furthermore, Mireca transfers to Graybug an Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but include an upfront payment, milestone payments tied to future clinical development, product approvals, and royalties on commercial sales.

Prof. Dr. Francois Paquet-Durand, Chief Scientific Officer of Mireca and scientific advisor to Graybug, as well as Mireca’s shareholder Biolog, will contribute their longstanding cGMP analogue expertise to support Graybug’s research and development activities. Furthermore, Mireca shareholder RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) has agreed to manufacture the cGMP analogues for Graybug. 

“The partnership with Graybug is a breakthrough for Mireca’s cGMP analogues to reach patients suffering from inherited retinal diseases," Barbara Brunnhuber, Chief Executive Officer of Mireca, said in a company news release. "We are delighted to fully exploit the potential of our compounds in eye and ear applications with such a committed and capable partner, while continuing our own drug development to extend the cGMP approach into neurodegenerative diseases, as well as other disease indications outside of the central nervous system.“

Pieter Gaillard, PhD, Chairman of the Mireca Supervisory Board, said: “Achieving and leveraging this transformative deal is a thrilling reward for building our independent company. It is based on a shoulder-to-shoulder relationship between the executive management and shareholders, fueled with their scientific wealth and enjoying their financial trust. This patient-oriented scientific team holds much promise for developing the next drug products for debilitating diseases.”