Laurus Labs: Laurus Labs signs MoA with IIT Kanpur for licencing novel gene therapy assets – Times of India

HYDERABAD: Pharma player Laurus Labs Ltd on Monday said it has inked a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with IIT Kanpur (IITK) for in-licencing novel gene therapy assets, especially those pertaining to Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) vectors, and bringing them to market.
As part of this, Hyderabad-based Laurus Labs also plans to set up a good manufacturing practices (GMP) facility at the Techno Park facility of IITK.
As part of the MoA, Laurus labs will in-license a few gene therapy assets from IITK and also provide a research grant for advancing these products through pre-clinical development.
The company will also provide funding for the clinical trials for these products and plans to launch them in India and emerging markets.
The department of biological sciences and bioengineering (BSBE) at IITK, which has been working on gene therapy for the past few years, has developed some gene therapy assets along with technology for novel Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) vectors.
While IIT Kanpur has already filed IPs (intellectual property) around these products, a few additional patent applications are expected to be filed in due course.
Laurus Labs informed the bourses that this partnership will allow the company to strengthen its presence in the promising cell and gene therapy (CGT) space and emerge as a leading player in this space.
“These therapies are not available in India and emerging markets and this collaboration will help us in bringing these novel therapies to Indian patients at an affordable pricing. Additionally, this allows Laurus labs to offer CDMO services to cell and gene therapy companies,” it said.
Commenting on the deal, Laurus Labs CEO Dr Satyanarayana Chava said, “We are very excited to partner with IIT Kanpur to bring novel gene therapy products to patients in India and other markets at an affordable pricing. This collaboration exhibits our commitment towards cell and gene therapy (CGT) space. This partnership also provides a unique model for industry-academia collaboration and how can we leverage strengths from both the sections for the benefit of patients. IITK has a proven record of being a flag bearer for advancing research in India and this collaboration takes it to the next level”.
Terming this partnership as a big moment, IITK director Prof Abhay Karandikar said, Director of IIT Kanpur said: “With the setting up of the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, we are committed to transformative research in affordable healthcare including novel drug discovery, medical diagnostics and therapeutics, medical devices and implants.”
He said the partnership would enable affordable treatment to some of the difficult-to-treat disorders and strengthen industry-academia collaboration towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.