A WuXi AppTec group company, STA Pharmaceutical Co., the leading open-access capability and technology platform for small molecule pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, and Regulus Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs, have entered into an oligonucleotide synthesis collaboration agreement for research and mid-scale non-GMP/cGMP manufacturing.

Under the agreement, STA will become a new strategic development and manufacturing partner for Regulus' preclinical and clinical programs of microRNA-targeting drugs used to treat a broad range of diseases. Regulus will provide STA with expertise, technical know-how, and training in the field of oligonucleotide scale-up.

STA recently established oligonucleotide R&D labs at both its facilities in San Diego, California and Changzhou, China. The state-of-the-art oligonucleotide GMP manufacturing facility at Changzhou will become operational later this year.