Laurus Labs, IIT Kanpur partner to bring novel gene therapies to market

New Delhi: Laurus Labs on Monday said it has partnered with IIT Kanpur (IITK) to bring novel gene therapy assets to market.

The two partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which Laurus Labs will in-license few gene therapy assets and provide research grants for advancing these products through the pre-clinical development, the company said in a regulatory filing. Further, the company said it would also provide funding for the clinical trials and launch these products in India and emerging markets. Additionally, Laurus Labs will establish a GMP facility at the Techno Park facility of IITK, it added.

"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," Laurus Labs CEO Satyanarayana Chava said.

IITK has a proven record of being a flag bearer for advancing research in India and this collaboration takes it to the next level, he added. IITK Director Abhay Karandikar said with setting up of the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, the institute is committed to transformative research in affordable healthcare including novel drug discovery, medical diagnostics and therapeutics, medical devices and implants.

"I am confident that in the years to come, this partnership with Laurus Labs will enable affordable treatment to some of the difficult to treat disorders. This also further strengthens the achievability of an industry-academia collaboration towards Atmanirbhar Bharat," he added. Laurus Labs said the partnership with IITK allows it to strengthen its presence in the promising CGT space and become a leader 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," the company said adding, additionally, it would allow Laurus Labs to offer CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organisation) services to CGT companies. On the other hand, the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering (BSBE) at IITK has been working on gene therapy for the last few years and has developed few gene therapy assets along with technology for novel Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) vectors, the filing said.

"They have filed IPs around these products and few additional patent applications will be filed in due course," it added.