On March 8, 2022, Voyager Therapeutics, a gene therapy company developing life-changing treatments and next-generation adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids, announced it entered into a license option agreement with Novartis. Through the agreement, Novartis may exercise options to license novel AAV capsids generated from Voyager’s RNA-driven TRACER (Tropism Redirection of AAV by Cell-type-specific Expression of RNA) capsid discovery platform for potential use with three undisclosed CNS targets and options to access capsids for two additional targets to be agreed on in the future.

Voyager will receive $54 million upfront and is entitled to receive up to $37.5 million in exercise fees for options for three initial CNS targets, exercisable by Novartis within 12 months of signing. In addition, Novartis may elect to evaluate capsids for up to two additional targets to be agreed on in the future for $18 million upon selection of each target, and a $12.5 million exercise fee for selection of a capsid for each target. Voyager is also eligible to earn up to $1.5 billion in potential development, regulatory, and commercial milestones for products utilizing Voyager licensed capsids.

In October 2021, Voyager announced it had entered into an agreement with Pfizer for access to TRACER capsids for use with one neurologic and one cardiovascular target.

The WilmerHale team representing Voyager on both the Novartis and Pfizer transactions was led by Sarah Tegan Hogan and Brian Johnson and included Elese Hanson, Fred Adam, Bruce Manheim and Avery Reaves.