The companies will explore novel RNA-targeting treatment approaches designed to deliver transformative benefits for patients worldwide, they state, leveraging Lundbeck’s neuroscience experience and Contera’s oligonucleotide expertise and RNA discovery platforms. 

“Partnering with Contera provides us with the opportunity to expand our pipeline with RNA-targeting candidates that can result in entirely new treatments. The collaboration perfectly supports our aim to deliver therapies for patients with serious neurological conditions where few or no options exist today,” says Tarek Samad, Senior Vice President and Head of Research at Lundbeck.

The terms of the agreement

Contera Pharma will apply its specialized RNA discovery platforms and expertise to identify and optimize novel therapies targeting molecular targets with the potential to modify disease progression. Through the collaboration, Lundbeck retains the option to advance these promising candidates into later-stage clinical development and global commercialization, ensuring that innovative discoveries can ultimately reach patients at scale. Under the terms of the agreement, Contera Pharma will receive an upfront payment and full research funding for each target. The company will also be eligible for milestone payments tied to pre-clinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial achievements, along with tiered royalties on future net sales of any resulting products. 

“This agreement validates our RNA discovery engine and will accelerate our mission to deliver innovative medicines to patients with high unmet needs. By joining forces with Lundbeck, we can create strong synergies and advance the potential of oligonucleotide therapeutics,” says Thomas Sager, Chief Executive Officer of Contera Pharma.