US-based biopharmaceutical company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., (NASDAQ: REGN) has announced the acquisition of fellow US firm Decibel Therapeutics Inc., (NASDAQ: DBTX), a partner since 2017 specializing in gene therapies for hearing loss. Regeneron is paying an initial USD 4 per Decibel share, valuing the transaction at approximately USD 109 million, with the potential for the value to rise to USD 213 million upon the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones.
History of Collaboration and Focus on Hearing Loss Therapies
Decibel and Regeneron first formed a collaboration in 2017, which was extended in 2021, to focus on the development of three gene therapies targeting different forms of congenital, monogenic hearing loss. The lead candidate in their pipeline is DB-OTO, which is currently under investigation in the global Phase I/II CHORDTM study.
DB-OTO and Preclinical Programs
DB-OTO is an investigational cell-selective adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy designed to provide durable, physiological hearing to individuals with profound, congenital hearing loss caused by mutations of the otoferlin gene. Decibel’s preclinical programs also include AAV.103 for people with GJB2-related hearing loss and AAV.104 for people with stereocilin (STRC)-related hearing loss, showcasing the company’s commitment to addressing various genetic causes of hearing impairment.-Fineline Info & Tech
