Belief BioMed Inc. (BBM), a global leading biotech company focusing on innovative gene therapies, announced a new strategic collaboration with Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a gene therapy company wholly owned and independently operated as a subsidiary of Bayer AG, to explore the potential for new gene therapies.
Under the terms of the contract, the companies will combine efforts and experience in gene therapy technology to explore potential therapies in diseases that may be treatable using a liver-targeted approach, addressing unmet medical needs across diverse patient populations around the world.
Dr. Xiao Xiao, Co-founder, Chairman and CSO of BBM, said, "Focusing on gene therapy, BBM has achieved exciting results in research, development and production since its inception. The company's proprietary recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector system has also been widely recognized by the industry, with key findings published in prestigious scientific journals. Our strategic partnership with AskBio is based on our shared vision, mutual trust and complementary resources and strength. With our joint effort we will be able to bring more innovative treatments in a timely manner to patients around the globe."
With global headquarters in North Carolina, US, AskBio is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines and changing lives. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease indications. The company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered pre-clinical and clinical testing.
BBM is a global leading biotech company that integrates the R&D, manufacturing, and clinical application of gene therapy products. Its pipeline covers a wide range of therapeutic areas that include hemophilia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Parkinson's disease, and osteoarthritis. The company's efforts to advance gene therapy have gained international recognition, with the US FDA granting Orphan Drug Designation, underscoring the high potential impact of its therapies. This collaboration will further strengthen the company's core competitiveness in gene therapy and create a solid foundation for bringing additional new innovative gene therapies to patients worldwide.
Gustavo Pesquin, CEO of AskBio, said, "This strategic collaboration with BBM is an excellent example of how we work at AskBio and is particularly special given the extraordinary contributions Dr. Xiao Xiao has made to the field while at BBM and before as a co-founder of AskBio. Collaborating with innovative, like-minded global partners with complementary gene therapy expertise enables us to find the best way forward for our pipeline assets and bolster our efforts to advance new therapies for conditions with significant unmet need."
Dr. Jane Zheng, Co-founder and CEO of BBM, said, "The high-quality, steady development of BBM in recent years is not only attributable to the dedication and unremitting efforts of our employees, but also to the strong support given by our external partners. BBM has always been actively building open, collaborative, and win-win partnerships, just like the cooperation between the two companies this time. Under the framework of this novel and progressive collaboration, we look forward to working together with AskBio to address a wider range of unmet medical needs and advance BBM's goal of being a key contributor to the gene therapy landscape, serving patients worldwide."
