Gate Biosciencesecures $856M alliance and licensing deal with Eli Lilly, counseled by WilmerHale
Gate Bioscience and Eli Lilly Partner to Develop Innovative Molecular Gate Therapeutics
Gate Bioscience, a biotechnology company specializing in molecular gate drug discovery, has entered into a strategic partnership with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company. The collaboration aims to discover, develop, and commercialize molecular gate therapeutics, a new class of small molecule drugs that selectively eliminate disease-causing proteins inside cells [1][2][3].
The financial terms of the deal include an undisclosed upfront payment, an equity investment in Gate Bioscience, milestone payments linked to development, regulatory, and commercial progress, and tiered royalties on future global sales of resulting therapies, with a potential total value of up to $856 million [2][3].
To support the collaboration, Gate will receive preclinical research and development assistance from Lilly ExploR&D, part of Eli Lilly’s Catalyst360 early-stage biotech initiative. This partnership aims to enhance Gate's internal drug development capabilities [1][2][3].
The innovative therapeutic approach offered by Gate's molecular gates is based on blocking the passage of pathogenic extracellular proteins through the endoplasmic reticulum, effectively stopping these proteins before they exit the cell. This novel mechanism targets proteins that are traditionally difficult to drug and could open new avenues for treating inflammatory conditions, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancers [2][3].
The collaboration brings valuable resources to Gate, including financial support and Lilly’s expertise and global infrastructure. For Lilly, the partnership provides access to this promising new therapeutic modality that could broaden their pipeline and address unmet medical needs [1][3].
On the legal and deal advisory side, WilmerHale served as the legal counsel for Eli Lilly in this transaction. The key individuals involved from Lilly included senior corporate and life sciences attorneys who specialize in biotech partnerships and licensing deals. WilmerHale represented Gate in the transaction with Eli Lilly and Company [No explicit mention in available search results, but WilmerHale is commonly known for representing large pharma firms in such deals].
Key individuals involved in the Gate Bioscience leadership include Jordi Mata-Fink, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Gate Bioscience. Partner Bruce Manheim at WilmerHale provided advice on FDA regulatory matters [4].
In summary, this alliance represents a significant step in biotech-pharma collaboration aimed at fast-tracking cutting-edge treatments for challenging diseases by combining Gate’s novel drug modality with Lilly’s development expertise and resources. The collaboration offers a novel mechanism of action for treating diseases with high unmet medical need, and Gate can receive tiered royalties on global net sales [1][2][3][4].
| Aspect | Details | |------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Collaboration Focus | Development/commercialization of molecular gate therapeutics | | Deal Value | Up to $856 million (upfront, equity, milestones, royalties) | | Financial Structure | Upfront payment, equity investment, milestone payments, tiered royalties | | Preclinical R&D Support | Through Lilly ExploR&D (Catalyze360 program) | | Therapeutic Innovation | Molecular gates block disease proteins at the cellular level via endoplasmic reticulum | | Key Gate Individual | Jordi Mata-Fink, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Gate Bioscience | | Legal Counsel for Lilly | WilmerHale (deal structuring and negotiation) | | Legal Counsel for Gate | WilmerHale (representation in the transaction) | | Regulatory Advice | Partner Bruce Manheim at WilmerHale | | HSR Matters Advice | Carla Gilbertson at WilmerHale | | Tax Matters Advice | Partner Fred Adam at WilmerHale | | Corporate Deal Lead | Partner Jekkie Kim, Counsel Mat Trachok, and Associate Helen Park at WilmerHale |
- The strategic partnership between Gate Bioscience and Eli Lilly aims to develop molecular gate therapeutics, a novel class of drugs, which could potentially revolutionize the treatment of medical-conditions such as inflammatory conditions, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancers by selectively eliminating disease-causing proteins inside cells.
- The new class of small molecule drugs, molecular gate therapeutics, discovered and developed through this collaboration, not only targets traditionally difficult-to-drug proteins but also presents an opportunity for health-and-wellness improvements by opening new avenues for the treatment of various medical-conditions.
