Partners

As part of its long term growth and development strategy, Tekmira has a range of agreements with industry leaders and partners and will continue to support the ongoing activities of its research and development collaborators and licensees by providing new lipid-based nanoparticle formulations for different RNAi therapeutics.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Alnylam has access to Tekmira’s lipid-based nanoparticle technology for the delivery of RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics.  Tekmira provides research and manufacturing support to Alnylam and is paid for this work. In addition, Tekmira is eligible to receive up to US$16 million in milestones on each and every RNAi therapeutic advanced by Alnylam (or its partners) that utilizes the company’s technology, as well as royalties on product sales.

In April, 2009, Alnylam initiated a Phase 1 human clinical trial of ALN-VSP.  ALN-VSP, a product that utilizes Tekmira’s lipid nanoparticle delivery technology, is being developed as a treatment for advanced liver cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma and other solid tumors with liver involvement. The commencement of the Phase 1 trial resulted in a milestone payment from Alnylam to Tekmira, and additional milestone payments become due as ALN-VSP is advanced through development. Interim results from the ALN-VSP trial were released at ASCO in June 2010.   

In July 2010, Alnylam started dosing patients in a clinical trial for ALN-TTR, a product that also utilizes Tekmira’s lipid nanoparticle delivery technology. ALN-TTR is being developed as a therapeutic targeting transthyretin (TTR) for the treatment of TTR amyloidosis. Tekmira received a milestone payment after the first patient was enrolled in the ALN-TTR Phase 1 clinical trial.

In addition, Tekmira has rights to develop a total of seven RNAi therapeutics based on access to Alnylam’s intellectual property.


Roche
Under an existing agreement through Alnylam, Roche has access to Tekmira’s lipid nanoparticle technology for the delivery of RNAi therapeutics. 

Tekmira announced in May, 2009, that it entered into a product development agreement with Roche to advance Roche’s first RNAi product candidates into human clinical testing. The product candidate utilizes Tekmira’s lipid nanoparticle delivery technology.  



Merck
Merck has access to certain Tekmira delivery technology for the delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).  Currently, there is no active research program underway with Merck; however, Tekmira is eligible to receive up to US$17 million in milestones and royalties on each and every RNAi product that Merck advances using Tekmira’s technology.




Pfizer
Tekmira announced in March 2010 the initiation of a new research collaboration with Pfizer. The research collaboration with focus on Pfizer's evaluatin of Tekmira’s lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology to deliver siRNA molecules provided by Pfizer.  Tekmira will be responsible for preparing the LNP formulations and Pfizer will evaluate the formulations in preclinical models.
 



Takeda
Takeda and Tekmira expanded their research collaboration in the first quarter of 2010.  As part of the expanded collaboration, Takeda will evaluate new Tekmira LNP formulations to deliver siRNA molecules provided by Takeda. 


Bristol-Myers Squibb
In the second quarter of 2010, Tekmira entered into a multi-year, target validation agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb. Tekmira will provide LNP formulations of siRNA provided by Bristol-Myers Squibb to silence target genes of interest. Bristol-Myers paid Tekmira US$3.0 million concurrent with the signing of the agreement.  Importantly, Bristol-Myers Squibb will share of the target validation data it generates and Tekmira can use this data to develop its own RNAi therapeutic products. 



Transformational Medical Technologies Program
In July 2010, Tekmira was awarded up to a U.S.$140 million contract with the United States Government's Transformational Medical Technologies (TMT) Program, to advance an RNAi therapeutic, TKM-Ebola, to treat Ebola virus infection. In the initial phase of the contract Tekmira is eligible to receive up to U.S. $34.7 million over the next three years.  This initial funding is for the development of TKM-Ebola through pre-clinical development, filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and completion of a Phase 1 human safety clinical trial.

Hana
Tekmira has an agreement with Hana Biosciences whereby Hana has licensed three Tekmira chemotherapy products.  Hana will develop and commercialize Marqibo, Alocrest, and Brakiva and Tekmira is eligible to receive milestones as well as royalties on product sales. 


Aradigm
Tekmira has a licensing agreement with Aradigm under which Aradigm licensed certain liposomal technology for delivery of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin.  Tekmira is entitled to receive milestone payments and royalties on product sales for any products advanced by Aradigm that use Tekmira's technology.