Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., "Astellas") and Pantherna Therapeutics GmbH (CEO:  Klaus Giese, Ph.D., "Pantherna") today announced that the companies have entered into a technology evaluation agreement for the research of mRNA-based regenerative medicine.

Pantherna has a technology platform consisting of unique mRNA molecules (PTXmRNAs) for enhancing the efficiency of mRNA actions in the body, and lipid nanoparticles (PTXΔLNPs) for efficiently delivering mRNA.

Under this agreement, Pantherna's state-of-the-art mRNA platform and Astellas' high drug discovery capabilities will be utilized to promote research on the creation of new programs in the field of regenerative medicine and their application to treatment.

Astellas will be in charge of technology evaluation research aimed at providing drug discovery ideas and creating a therapeutic modality, and Pantherna will provide technical information and prepare candidate compounds for the technology evaluation research.

"We are excited and honored to collaborate with Astellas," said Pantherna's Chief Executive Officer, Klaus Giese, Ph.D. "Astellas is an excellent partner for leveraging the unique aspects of our proprietary therapeutic mRNA technology, and this applied research is very important for the validation and broader application of the Pantherna mRNA technology in indications with high medical need."

"Astellas is engaged in the development of novel therapies using a new modality / technology based on the Focus Area approach strategy," said Taiji Sawamoto, Executive Vice President, Applied Research & Operations, at Astellas. "Pantherna is a leader in this area with a unique technology platform for mRNA. Through this collaboration, we will create an innovative regenerative medicine program with mRNA as a therapeutic modality, and we expect that we will be able to expand the treatment options of various diseases for which there has been no cure thus far."