Bayer partners with Souffle Therapeutics for heart disease siRNA therapy

Bayer announced a strategic collaboration and global licensing agreement with Soufflé Therapeutics to develop a small interfering RNA therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy, a rare heart disease.

The partnership focuses on creating an siRNA-based treatment that targets heart muscle cells specifically. Soufflé Therapeutics engineers cell-selective ligands to deliver siRNA medicines directly to target cells, aiming to reduce off-target effects and improve dosing frequency.

"We are excited to partner with Soufflé and begin exploring the field of siRNA, an innovative therapeutic modality that can potentially silence specific genes responsible for disease progression," said Juergen Eckhardt, Head of Business Development and Licensing at Bayer Pharmaceuticals.

The collaboration builds on Bayer's existing relationship with Soufflé through Leaps by Bayer, the company's strategic investment unit. Bayer has invested over $2.1 billion in more than 65 companies through Leaps by Bayer.

Soufflé combines proprietary technologies to identify cell-specific receptors, optimize ligands, and engineer siRNA for targeted delivery. The Boston-based biotech company focuses on developing treatments for muscle dystrophies, heart failure, and metabolic disorders.

"This collaboration brings together Bayer's expertise in cardiovascular disease, with Soufflé's proprietary integrated technologies, to develop a potential new option for patients facing a rare heart disease," said Amir Nashat, Chief Executive Officer of Soufflé Therapeutics.

The companies did not disclose financial terms of the agreement. The collaboration aims to address limited treatment options for patients with dilated cardiomyopathies through precision-targeted genetic medicine.

Information is based on a company press release.

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