Sibylla Biotech Enters a Strategic Drug Discovery Collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical in Central Nervous System Disorders
Milan, Italy, March 14, 2024 – Sibylla Biotech announced today a drug discovery collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4528) that will access Sibylla’s cutting-edge Pharmacological Protein Inactivation by Folding Intermediates Targeting (PPI-FIT) technology to identify and develop candidates for multiple therapeutic targets in the field of Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders. Under the terms of the collaboration, Sibylla is entitled to a total deal value in the three-digit millions of U.S. dollars, including upfront payment, research, development and sales milestones, and royalties on sales. Further financial details on the collaboration have not been disclosed.
Sibylla Biotech utilizes its PPI-FIT technology to design Folding Interfering Degraders (FIDs). FIDs are small molecules that induce the degradation of a target protein by interfering with its folding pathway. The technology targets specific proteins, particularly those considered “undruggable” due to the absence of suitable pockets in their native state. Ono Pharmaceutical plans to harness this technology to address some of the most challenging aspects of CNS drug development by targeting proteins involved in complex neurological pathways.
“Sibylla’s PPI-FIT technology platform has the potential to surpass the limitations of conventional methods and uncover novel CNS therapeutic targets,” said Toichi Takino, Senior Executive Officer/Executive Director, Discovery & Research of Ono Pharmaceutical. “This collaboration is a key part of our strategy to increase efficiency in developing our pipeline in CNS areas and bring innovative solutions to patients facing serious neurological disorders.”
“Our partnership with Ono Pharmaceutical represents a fusion of Sibylla’s cutting-edge technology in protein folding simulation with Ono’s extensive experience in CNS research. Together, we aim to unlock new therapeutic possibilities for patients worldwide,” commented Lidia Pieri, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sibylla Biotech. “I am honored to collaborate with the Ono Pharmaceutical team, whose rich history, expertise and culture I greatly appreciate, and all of us at Sibylla look forward to working closely with them.”
About Ono Pharmaceutical
Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., headquartered in Osaka, is an R&D-oriented pharmaceutical company committed to creating innovative medicines in specific areas. Ono focuses its research on oncology, immunology, neurology and specialty research with high medical needs as priority areas for discovery and development of innovative medicines.
For further information: https://www.ono-pharma.com/en
About Sibylla Biotech
Sibylla is disrupting the protein degradation landscape by applying a novel mechanism of action that interferes with protein folding and thereby suppresses the expression of a disease-relevant protein. Through its protein folding simulation technology platform, Pharmacological Protein Inactivation by Folding Intermediate Targeting (PPI-FIT), Sibylla identifies relevant and previously inexplorable folding intermediates for protein targets that are currently considered undruggable in their native state. The company is developing a proprietary pipeline of small molecule folding interfering degraders (FIDs) that can address a range of therapeutic areas.