PeptiDream Inc., a Japan-based biopharmaceutical company, has announced a new multi-target collaboration and license agreement with US-based Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, focused on the discovery and development of novel macrocyclic peptide-radioisotope (peptide-RI) drug conjugates.

Under the agreement, PeptiDream will use its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS) technology to discover, optimise, and develop macrocyclic peptide candidates for use as peptide-RI drug conjugates against targets of interest to Genentech.

PeptiDream will lead early preclinical development before transitioning peptide-RI drug conjugate products arising from the collaboration to Genentech for further development and commercialisation. PeptiDream will retain the right to develop and commercialise such peptide-RI drug conjugate products in Japan.

The new collaboration and license agreement builds upon the long collaborative relationship between the companies, which started with a multi-target collaboration and license agreement in December 2015, followed by Genentech licensing PeptiDream’s PDPS technology in 2016, and expansion of the companies’ collaboration in 2018.

Under the terms of the agreement, PeptiDream will receive an upfront payment of $40 million (¥5.9 billion JPY) from Genentech and be eligible for payments based on the achievement of specified development, regulatory, and commercial milestones potentially up to $1 billion.