sCFH is an engineered and improved version of complement factor H. Credit: Deposition authors: Jaakola, V-P, Jokiranta, TS, Goldman, A. Visualisation author: User: Astrojan/ commons.wikimedia.org

Fortress Biotech subsidiary Aevitas Therapeutics has signed an asset purchase deal to sell the proprietary rights to its short-form human complement factor H (sCFH) asset to 4D Molecular Therapeutics for $140m in cash.

sCFH is an engineered and improved version of complement factor H (CFH) that can fit into adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors with solid expression and applications confirmed in cultured human cells in vitro, in addition to various preclinical animal models in vivo.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

Reinstating CFH function by employing the sCFH protein could restore normal complement regulation and minimise retinal injury that manifests as progressive geographic atrophy (GA).

Aevitas will receive the payment as potential late-stage development, regulatory and sales milestones. The firm will also receive single-digit royalties on net sales.

4DMT will be responsible for licence payments to the University of Pennsylvania, where the Perelman School of Medicine’s pharmacology professor, Dr Wenchao Song, jointly invented and developed the sCFH technology.

Fortress chairman, president and CEO and Aevitas executive chairman Lindsay A Rosenwald stated: “This agreement with 4DMT allows Fortress to focus on acquiring and developing clinical-stage treatments, while potentially expediting the development and commercialisation of this preclinical sCFH technology.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“Partnering with 4DMT further validates the Fortress business model of identifying and developing promising treatments for patients, while pursuing opportunities that potentially maximise shareholder value.

“We look forward to 4DMT using their vector platform to continue the development of the sCFH asset to potentially treat geographic atrophy (GA) and other diseases.”