Australian biotechnology company Starpharma (ASX:SPL) has secured a significant partnership with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to advance next-generation cancer therapies built on Starpharma’s proprietary DEP drug delivery technology.
Under the agreement, Starpharma will receive an upfront payment of USD $5.5 million (AUD $8.3 million), with the potential to earn up to USD $564 million (AUD $855 million) in development, commercial, and sales milestones. The deal also includes tiered royalties on global net sales of any products emerging from the collaboration.
The partnership gives Genentech an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialise products using Starpharma’s DEP platform, which enables the creation of dendrimer-drug conjugates designed to improve the performance of existing medicines. The agreement covers multiple oncology targets, reflecting the broad potential of the technology.
Starpharma’s DEP platform is designed to address common challenges in drug development by improving solubility, enhancing efficacy, and offering better pharmacokinetic control and toxicity profiles. The technology can be applied to small molecules, peptides, proteins, chemotherapeutics, radiotheranostics, and antibody-drug conjugates, providing opportunities to extend product lifecycles and open new therapeutic indications.
Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Maley said the collaboration underscored the progress of Starpharma’s work in cancer therapeutics. “This agreement recognises the potential of our dendrimer technology to transform drug development and builds on three years of collaborative research with Genentech. With their world-class expertise and our proprietary DEP® platform, we are well positioned to deliver meaningful outcomes for patients,” she said.
Boris L. Zaïtra, Head of Roche Corporate Business Development, said the deal reinforced Roche’s long-standing commitment to oncology. “For more than 60 years, we have been developing innovative cancer medicines, and our dedication to transforming cancer care remains unwavering. We’re committed to turning science into life-changing breakthroughs for patients,” he said.
Starpharma described the Genentech partnership as a key milestone in its strategy to build high-impact collaborations that expand the reach of its DEP platform and accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients worldwide.