Laurus Labs has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with IIT Kanpur (IITK) to bring novel gene therapy assets to market.
As per the pact, Hyderabad-based Laurus Labs will in-licence a few gene therapy assets and will provide research grants for advancing these products through pre-clinical development.
It will also provide funding for the clinical trials and will launch these products in India and emerging markets.
Additionally, Laurus Labs will establish a GMP facility at the Techno Park facility of IITK.
Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering (BSBE) at IIT Kanpur has been working on gene therapy for the last few years and has developed a few gene therapy assets along with technology for novel Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) vectors.
They have filed IPs around these products and a few additional patent applications will be filed in due course.
Commenting on this development, CEO of Laurus Labs, Satyanarayana Chava, said, “We are very excited to partner with IIT Kanpur to bring novel gene therapy products to patients in India and other markets.
Abhay Karandikar, Director of IIT Kanpur said, “This is a big moment for us at IIT Kanpur when we are partnering with Laurus Labs for developing novel drugs based on pathbreaking research in gene therapy at IIT Kanpur.’