Moderna and Chiesi Farmaceutici (Chiesi), have announced a collaboration aimed at the discovery and development of mRNA therapeutics for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a rare disease with an incidence of 2–5 per million adults.
PAH is a progressive disorder characterised by high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs with concomitant right heart failure. There is an unmet medical need for novel treatments that could delay, or reverse, the disease progression in patients.
Under the terms of the agreement, Moderna will lead discovery efforts, leveraging its mRNA technology and delivery platforms along with Chiesi’s knowledge in the field of PAH biology. Chiesi will lead development and worldwide commercialisation activities and will fund the collaboration.
“We are excited to begin this collaboration with Chiesi Group, which provides the opportunity to further leverage our mRNA and delivery technology,” said Stephen Hoge, MD, President of Moderna. “This new relationship continues our commitment to partner with companies that have unique expertise in serious diseases, and who share our vision of using mRNA therapeutics to address the unmet needs of patients.”
“Chiesi Group is at the forefront of innovation and discovery of novel therapies for people affected by diseases with high unmet medical need,” said Ugo Di Francesco, Chief Executive Officer of Chiesi, “and the agreement with Moderna, a leader in mRNA science and delivery, confirms our commitment to better serve patients and healthcare professionals with transformative solutions.”
