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JCR Pharmaceuticals Enters License Agreement with Alexion for Proprietary JUST-AAV Capsids to be Used in the Development of Genomic Medicines
HYOGO, Japan, July 08, 2025--JCR announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Alexion, for JCR’s new, proprietary JUST-AAV capsids to develop genomic medicines.
About this update from Jcr Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
[{"type":"image","alt":"","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"","credit":null,"className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":480,"height":251,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/business-wire.com/9c17eaa28338858e61d7b08206dbcbb9"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/U87UdYgMch3azrxR_D4CQQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUwMjtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/business-wire.com/9c17eaa28338858e61d7b08206dbcbb9","width":480,"height":251}},"lazy":false},{"type":"text","content":"HYOGO, Japan, July 08, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TSE 4552; "JCR") today announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease ("Alexion"), for JCR’s new, proprietary JUST-AAV capsids to develop genomic medicines.","length":300,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"JUST-AAV encompasses a range of vector types optimized for various target tissues—including liver-sparing, muscle-targeting, and brain-targeting variants—to expand the potential of AAV-based gene therapy.","length":204,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Under the terms of the agreement, Alexion may use the licensed capsids, which are part of the JUST-AAV platform, in up to five of Alexion's genomic medicines programs. JCR will receive an upfront payment from Alexion. JCR is eligible to receive milestone payments of up to USD 225 million related to research and development, and up to USD 600 million related to sales, for a total of up to USD 825 million (approximately JPY 120 billion converted at the exchange rate of JPY 145 to USD), which reflects the aggregate milestones if all five targets are exercised. In addition, JCR is entitled to receive tiered royalties based on net sales.","length":644,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"This agreement marks the third partnership between JCR and Alexion, following research collaborations involving J-Brain Cargo® technology—the first announced in March 2023 for neurodegenerative disease and the second announced in December 2023 for the discovery of oligonucleotide therapeutics.","length":294,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""I am very pleased to announce the signing of this license agreement for our proprietary AAV capsid platform, JUST-AAV," said Shin Ashida, Chairman, President and CEO of JCR Pharmaceutical...