Roche is putting more money into gene therapies for eye diseases, announcing a deal to work with University of Pittsburgh spinout Avista Therapeutics to develop better delivery tools for the complex treatments.
Through the deal, Avista will develop new capsids, or viral shells capable of delivering genetic material into cells, that fit a “profile defined by Roche,” the companies said in a statement. Avista will get $7.5 million upfront in the alliance, but could receive up to $1 billion if various milestones are met and additional fees are collected.
