Neurocrine Hands Back Two CNS Gene Therapy Programs to Voyager, Collaboration Continues

Neurocrine Biosciences has returned two discovery-stage gene therapy programs to Voyager Therapeutics, marking a shift in their ongoing central nervous system (CNS) collaboration. Despite this development, the partnership between the two biotechnology companies remains robust, with several key programs still in active development.

Collaboration Adjustments and Ongoing Projects

The decision to hand back the two undisclosed CNS gene therapy programs comes as part of Neurocrine's strategic reprioritization efforts. Voyager Therapeutics emphasized that the discontinuations were not due to any safety concerns, maintaining confidence in their overall collaborative pipeline.

The companies' relationship, which began with a $1.7 billion biobucks agreement in 2019, continues to focus on Voyager's gene therapy program for Parkinson's disease and other GBA1-mediated diseases. This program combines gene replacement technology with novel capsids from Voyager's TRACER platform.

Advancing Toward Clinical Trials

Voyager Therapeutics remains optimistic about the collaboration's progress, with plans to submit requests for clinical trials this year. The company expects to initiate studies in 2026 for two key programs:

1. The GBA1 gene therapy program targeting both Gaucher and Parkinson's diseases
2. A Friedreich's ataxia program

These advancements are anticipated to trigger $35 million in milestone payments to Voyager.

Financial Position and Pipeline Development

Voyager reported a strong financial position, with $295 million in cash as of March 2025, expected to fund operations into mid-2027. The company's pipeline extends beyond its collaboration with Neurocrine, including:

• VY7523, an anti-tau antibody for Alzheimer's disease currently in clinical trials
• VY1706, a preclinical tau silencing gene therapy

Alfred Sandrock Jr., M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Voyager, commented on the company's strategy: "We continue to thoughtfully and strategically advance our pipeline, including our two wholly-owned tau targeting programs VY7523 and VY1706 for Alzheimer's disease, as well as the FA and GBA1 programs, which are advancing towards INDs this year."

While the return of two programs represents a setback, the ongoing collaboration between Neurocrine and Voyager demonstrates the complex nature of pharmaceutical partnerships and the industry's continued focus on innovative CNS therapies.