Benzinga | Jan 18, 2022 06:56AM EST

23andMe Announces Extension Of GSK Collaboration

GSK extends exclusive target discovery period of collaboration for a fifth year to discover and validate novel drug targets using 23andMe's proprietary genetic and health survey database

23andMe elects for royalty option as GSK advances immuno-oncology antibody collaboration program targeting CD96 into development

Company will discuss at its R&D Day event today at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 23andMe Holding Co. (NASDAQ:ME) ("23andMe"), a leading consumer genetics and therapeutics company, today provided an update on its collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline plc ("GSK"). GSK has elected to exercise its option to extend the exclusive target discovery period of the ongoing collaboration with 23andMe for an additional year to July 2023. 23andMe will receive a one-time payment of $50 million to extend the period. In addition, 23andMe has elected to take a royalty option on its joint immuno-oncology antibody collaboration program with GSK targeting CD96 (GSK6097608, a.k.a. GSK'608), currently in Phase 1 studies. GSK will be solely responsible for GSK'608's subsequent development in later-stage clinical trials, including full development costs moving forward.

"The collaboration with GSK has been very productive. In less than four years, under this collaboration, we have identified over 40 therapeutic programs and have advanced an immuno- oncology antibody targeting CD96 into clinical development," said Kenneth Hillan, Head of Therapeutics at 23andMe. "GSK's decision to extend the exclusive target discovery period of our collaboration for an additional year demonstrates the enthusiasm for our collaboration and the value our database provides for identifying targets and advancing new medicines based on human genetics."

"Our collaboration with 23andMe continues to exceed expectations, with more than 40 genetically validated drug discovery programs in the GSK portfolio that were initiated under the collaboration," said John Lepore, SVP and Head of Research at GSK. "Evidence shows that genetically validated drug targets have at least double the probability of success in becoming medicines; today more than 70% of our targets in research have genetic validation. Working with 23andMe for an additional year will continue to strengthen the quality and breadth of our pipeline and reinforce GSK's long-term focus on human genetics, the immune system and advanced technologies to discover and develop transformational new medicines for patients."

"The CD96 program is a prime example of the potential value we bring to drug discovery and development. Through our genetic validation and based on the Phase 1a data, we are hopeful that targeting CD96 will have the potential to provide cancer patients with a new medicine in the fight against cancer," states Hillan. "We believe GSK is in the best position to move this program forward because of its leading portfolio of antibodies targeting the CD96 axis, and their ability to conduct the complex clinical studies of combination therapies that the development plan will require. This decision also allows 23andMe to strategically invest capital and resources into advancing our diverse portfolio of therapeutic programs."

23andMe's Therapeutics team was established in 2015 with the goal to improve the way drug discovery is currently conducted by starting with human genetic information. With approximately 12 million genotyped customers, of which approximately 80 percent consent to research, 23andMe has the world's largest set of genotypic information paired with billions of phenotypic data points contributed by engaged research participants.