Partnerships

HemoShear has successfully utilized our REVEAL-Tx™ drug discovery platform to identify novel drug targets for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and gout through exclusive collaborations with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and Horizon Therapeutics respectively.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Fibrotic Liver Diseases, Rare Liver Disease

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

In 2021, HemoShear successfully completed a four-year exclusive collaboration with Takeda resulting in two novel drug targets for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) advancing into Takeda’s Discovery Portfolio. In accordance with the agreement, Takeda assumed drug discovery and development activities, while HemoShear will continue to earn milestone payments as the programs advance.

The collaboration delivered on HemoShear’s promise to uncover disease drivers and identified and validated two novel drug targets that modulate these processes. HemoShear’s REVEAL-Tx™ platform was utilized to create a model of NASH that recapitulates hallmark features of liver fat build up, increased cell stress and inflammation, extracellular matrix signaling and fibrosis that was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight. In addition, Nature Scientific Reports published the company’s research analyzing gene expression at various stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Under the agreement, HemoShear is eligible to receive milestone payments of potentially $470 million plus royalties, and Takeda will receive the right to license and commercialize any therapeutic that results from the partnership. More information can be found in the press release.

HemoShear is also developing a new human tissue-based model of a rare liver disease using the company’s REVEAL-Tx™ Platform. This partnership will enable Takeda to interrogate their drug targets in the genetic background of human disease and accelerate the selection of lead candidates. “This new collaboration gives us the opportunity to build on [NASH] momentum and expand the reach of our combined expertise to a challenging, severe rare liver disease of high unmet need,” said Gareth Hicks, Ph.D., GI Drug Discovery Unit Head at Takeda.  More information can be found in the press release here.

Horizon Therapeutics
Gout

Horizon Therapeutics

HemoShear has achieved multiple milestones in an exclusive collaboration established in January 2019 with Horizon Therapeutics to discover new drugs for gout. HemoShear is advancing several potential lead drug candidates for the treatment of gout after identifying and validating two novel gout drug targets in accordance with the agreement. The partnership combines HemoShear’s REVEAL-Tx™ platform and drug discovery capabilities with Horizon’s rheumatology development and commercialization expertise. Under the terms of the agreement, HemoShear receives upfront payments and R&D funding, and Horizon receives exclusive access to the company’s platform to discover new therapeutics for gout. Successful development and commercialization of multiple therapies by Horizon will make HemoShear eligible to receive milestone payments of potentially more than $500 million plus royalties. More information can be found in the press release.

Contact

info@hemoshear.com

HemoShear Therapeutics, Inc.
501 Locust Avenue
Suite 301
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902