Regeneron Extends Hearing Loss Gene Therapy pact With Decibel

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc REGN has extended the research term of its collaboration with Decibel Therapeutics Inc DBTX to discover and develop gene therapies for hearing loss. 

• The research term is extended to November 15, 2023, and Regeneron will pay Decibel an extension fee of $10 million in Q4 of 2022.
• Under the collaboration launched in 2017, Decibel is developing three gene therapy programs targeting congenital, monogenic hearing loss with Regeneron. 
• Decibel plans to initiate in 2022 a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of DB-OTO, the Company's lead gene therapy candidate.
• DB-OTO is designed to provide hearing to individuals born with profound hearing loss due to mutation of the otoferlin gene. 
• Decibel is also advancing AAV.103 and AAV.104, gene therapy programs targeting other monogenic forms of hearing loss, with Regeneron. 
• Related: Decibel Therapeutics' Hearing Loss Gene Therapy Receives FDA Orphan Drug Tag.
• Price Action: DBTX shares are up 0.94% at $7.52 during the market session on the last check Monday.