MeiraGTx and Hologen AI Form $430M Joint Venture to Advance Gene Therapies for Neurological Disorders

MeiraGTx, a leading gene therapy specialist, has entered into a transformative partnership with artificial intelligence company Hologen AI, forming a joint venture named Hologen Neuro AI. The collaboration, valued at up to $430 million, aims to accelerate the development of gene therapies for neurological disorders, with a primary focus on Parkinson's disease and obesity.

Groundbreaking Partnership Combines Gene Therapy and AI Expertise

The newly formed Hologen Neuro AI will leverage MeiraGTx's gene therapy technology and Hologen's advanced AI models to enhance drug discovery and development for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the pharmaceutical industry, representing the first venture of its kind at the intersection of AI and neuroscience.

Under the terms of the agreement, MeiraGTx will receive an upfront payment of $200 million and retain a 30% stake in the joint venture. Hologen will contribute up to $230 million in committed capital to fund the development of MeiraGTx's therapies through commercialization. Additionally, Hologen will acquire a minority stake in MeiraGTx's manufacturing subsidiary, contributing to annual funding and applying its AI platform to optimize manufacturing processes.

Advancing Parkinson's Disease Gene Therapy

The cornerstone of this collaboration is MeiraGTx's gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, AAV-GAD, which has already shown promising results in mid-stage clinical testing. The therapy delivers a gene that codes for the enzyme responsible for producing GABA, a neurotransmitter implicated in the motor dysfunction characteristic of Parkinson's.

Dr. Alexandria Forbes, CEO and co-founder of MeiraGTx, highlighted the potential of this partnership, stating, "Deploying Hologen's [AI models] on MeiraGTx's clinical data allows the characterization of disease modification in the CNS with unprecedented fidelity." The companies claim that Hologen's AI has already significantly de-risked the planned Phase 3 study by identifying disease-modifying changes in brain function among patients in the recent Phase 2 trial.

Expanding the Pipeline: Obesity and Beyond

Beyond Parkinson's disease, the joint venture will also focus on developing MeiraGTx's earlier-stage assets, including a potential treatment for obesity targeting the brain's hunger control center. This expansion of the pipeline demonstrates the versatility of MeiraGTx's gene therapy platform and the potential for AI to accelerate drug development across multiple indications.

The collaboration is expected to extend MeiraGTx's cash runway and provide resources to accelerate other programs, including a treatment for dry mouth and technology designed to switch the production of certain proteins on and off. With a robust pipeline spanning approximately a dozen indications, MeiraGTx is well-positioned to leverage this partnership to advance its genetic medicines portfolio.