Abeona Therapeutics Inc. announced on July 1, 2025, that Beacon Therapeutics has exercised its option to license Abeona's patented AAV204 capsid. This worldwide, non-exclusive license is for use in potential gene therapies targeting a range of prevalent and rare retinal diseases that cause blindness. This exercise follows an agreement between Abeona and Beacon, announced in July 2024, to evaluate the therapeutic potential of AAV204.
AAV204 is a novel AAV capsid from Abeona's AIM™ capsid library, licensed from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Preclinical studies have shown AAV204 to achieve high macular and optic nerve transduction levels after para-retinal administration, and to facilitate transduction of both the inner and outer retina after intravitreal administration in mice and non-human primates. This validation of AAV204's potential for targeted delivery in ophthalmic diseases is significant.
Under the terms of the agreement, Abeona will receive an undisclosed upfront license payment. The company is also eligible for additional payments upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory, and sales milestones, along with tiered royalties on worldwide net sales for licensed products incorporating AAV204. This agreement diversifies Abeona's potential revenue streams and underscores the value of its broader gene therapy pipeline.
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