Pfizer and Enodia Therapeutics have entered into a research collaboration and licensing deal potentially worth over $500m, focused on discovering and developing sec61 inhibitors. Under the agreement, Enodia Therapeutics will lead the initial discovery phase, identifying and refining small-molecule candidates before advancing them against multiple targets. Once the collaboration phase concludes, Pfizer will assume responsibility for the subsequent stages, including clinical trials, manufacturing, regulatory submissions, and commercial operations.
The financial terms provide for an upfront fee for Enodia Therapeutics, alongside potential payments linked to research, development, and sales milestones. The biotechnology company will also be eligible for tiered royalties based on future net sales. Legal counsel for Enodia Therapeutics during the transaction was provided by founding partner Alexandra Carrel and MCE Carrel Avocats member Thomas Rocco.
The collaboration brings together Enodia Therapeutics’ drug discovery capabilities and Pfizer’s clinical and commercial resources to advance the development of potential medicines targeting disease-associated proteins. The programme is centred on the discovery and development of sec61 inhibitors, using an approach designed to target harmful proteins before they contribute to disease pathology while preserving normal cellular functions.
Sec61 Translocon Platform Supports Targeted Drug Discovery
Enodia Therapeutics’ drug discovery platform modulates the Sec61 Translocon to halt harmful proteins during synthesis, before the onset of disease pathology, while maintaining normal cellular functions. To guide the development of small molecules, the company combines machine learning with structural biology data, including cryo-EM, as well as proteomics and tailored cell-line libraries. These capabilities support the design of small molecules across several Sec61 inhibitor families.
Enodia Therapeutics CEO Yves Ribeill said, “Enodia has built a broad platform that enables selective Sec61 Translocon modulation, a novel approach to inhibit disease-driving proteins while preserving essential physiological functions.”
“We look forward to collaborating with Pfizer, combining their deep expertise and clinical resources with our approach for precisely targeting pathological proteins to bring forth potential new medicines,” he added.
Research Pipeline Focuses on Multiple Therapeutic Areas
Established through Argobio Studio and based on foundational research conducted at the Institut Pasteur, Enodia Therapeutics focuses on targeted protein degradation at synthesis. Its internal Sec61 research pipeline is primarily directed towards immunology, oncology and inflammation, with additional opportunities in virology.
The collaboration with Pfizer supports the company’s work on its Sec61 platform and the advancement of small-molecule candidates against multiple targets. By combining its discovery platform with Pfizer’s clinical resources and expertise, Enodia Therapeutics aims to progress potential new medicines that target pathological proteins while preserving essential cellular functions.
