DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSHA), a patient-centric gene therapy company focused on developing and commercializing AAV-based gene therapies for the treatment of monogenic diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) in both rare and large patient populations, and UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) today announced the launch of an innovation fund to discover and develop novel gene therapy candidates and next-generation technologies for monogenic diseases of the CNS. This expanded partnership will support UTSW’s discovery efforts to facilitate the translation of promising discoveries from bench to clinic. Taysha will have an exclusive option on new programs and intellectual property associated with, and arising from, the research conducted under this agreement.
A team of researchers from the gene therapy program at UT Southwestern will explore novel gene therapy targets in new disease areas and create next-generation gene therapy technology platforms to address some of the current limitations of this modality.
“We are excited to expand our alliance with UTSW to accelerate the discovery and development of novel gene therapy candidates and next-generation technologies for patients with monogenic CNS diseases,” said RA Session II, President, Founder and CEO of Taysha. “We believe that the combination of UTSW’s translational research expertise in gene therapy and strong track record of innovation and our experience in drug development and GMP manufacturing will create opportunities to reach more patients with unmet medical needs. Our relationship with the UTSW gene therapy program has produced over 18 novel product candidates, including TSHA-101 in GM2 gangliosidosis and TSHA-118 in CLN1, which are currently in clinical development. We are pleased by the significant progress our partnership has achieved and are excited to build on that foundation and momentum to bring additional compelling innovation to the clinic.”
About The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes and includes 23 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 13 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 2,500 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 105,000 hospitalized patients, nearly 370,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 3 million outpatient visits a year.
About Taysha Gene Therapies
Taysha Gene Therapies (Nasdaq: TSHA) is on a mission to eradicate monogenic CNS disease. With a singular focus on developing curative medicines, we aim to rapidly translate our treatments from bench to bedside. We have combined our team’s proven experience in gene therapy drug development and commercialization with the world-class UT Southwestern Gene Therapy Program to build an extensive, AAV gene therapy pipeline focused on both rare and large-market indications. Together, we leverage our fully integrated platform—an engine for potential new cures—with a goal of dramatically improving patients’ lives. More information is available at www.tayshagtx.com.
