BOSTON (PRWEB) November 01, 2017
Dover Lifesciences LLC, an early-stage drug discovery company, has entered into an exclusive research and development collaboration agreement with Shire, the global biotechnology leader in rare diseases, to identify potential orally-bioavailable treatments for rare diseases associated with inborn errors of metabolism. Dover Lifesciences’ platform capabilities offer a novel approach to identifying compounds to treat these serious, life-shortening, and debilitating diseases.
Dover Lifesciences has created techniques to identify and evaluate potential treatments for metabolism-associated diseases. This startup biotech company has received support from incubator programs such as MassChallenge and MassBio’s MassCONNECT as well as a grant from the Center for Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to perform experiments on the International Space Station.
“Creating therapies for patients with metabolic diseases is our mission,” says David S. Chung, MD, founder and CEO of Dover Lifesciences. “Our collaboration with Shire and the support we have received from the Massachusetts biotechnology ecosystem and CASIS reflect the best of what can happen when we work together to support each other and patients with serious unmet medical needs.”
The scientific efforts led by Ashis K. Saha, PhD, co-founder and CSO of Dover Lifesciences, focus on diminishing the biosynthesis of agents that are believed to be responsible for several metabolic diseases.
“As the global leader in rare disease, Shire continues to demonstrate leadership as we support innovative approaches to improve the lives of patients with genetic diseases,” said David K. Lee, MD, Head, Global Genetic Disease Franchise at Shire.
While the specific terms of this deal were not disclosed, Shire will provide funding for the joint research program under the collaboration agreement and is granted an exclusive option to license compounds selected by Shire. If the option is exercised, the license would entitle Dover Lifesciences to milestone payments and royalties on sales of products that result from the collaboration.
About Dover Lifesciences: Dover Lifesciences is an early-stage biotechnology company that is developing treatments for metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inborn errors of metabolism. Dover’s research may also yield therapies for some forms of cancer.
About MassChallenge: MassChallenge is the most startup-friendly accelerator on the planet. No equity and not-for-profit, MassChallenge is obsessed with helping entrepreneurs across any industry. To date, 1,211 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $2 billion in funding, generated approximately $900 million in revenue, and created over 65,000 total jobs. For more information, please visit http://www.masschallenge.org.
About MassBio: MassBio is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1985 that represents and provides services and support for the world’s leading life sciences supercluster. MassBio is committed to advancing Massachusetts' leadership in the life sciences to grow the industry, add value to the healthcare system and improve patient lives. Representing 1,000+ biotechnology companies, academic institutions, disease foundations and other organizations involved in life sciences and healthcare, MassBio leverages its unparalleled network of innovative companies and industry thought leaders to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs, events, industry information, and services. For more information, please visit http://www.massbio.org.
About CASIS: The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) was selected by NASA in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory through 2020. CASIS is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. For more information, please visit http://www.iss-casis.org.