Horizon enters drug discovery deal with Genentech

Collaboration

Horizon Discovery Ltd of Cambridge has agreed a collaboration with Genentech Inc., in which it will apply its Genesis gene-engineering platform to develop genetically-defined human cancer models for use in Genentech’s drug discovery research.

Horizon’s X-MAN cancer models provide mutant and normal cell lines, giving researchers a consistent source of human cell types that carry a specific cancer-causing gene (or genes), plus a matched normal cell as a control. This is expected to enable the rational development of drugs or treatments that target specific patient populations.

Chris Torrance, CEO of Horizon, said, “We believe the expansion of our collaboration with Genentech, which is at the forefront of research into new and improved targeted and personalised cancer therapeutics, is a key milestone for our company.”

Horizon claims its Genesis platform enables the routine generation of a wide-range of human disease models that were difficult or impossible to generate using historical gene-engineering techniques.

Genentech will pay Horizon undisclosed up-front, milestone and renewal fees.