Hovione Partners with Firstgene to Advance Targeted HCC Gene Therapy Platform

• Hovione has entered a strategic collaboration with Firstgene Life Sciences to advance its virus-like particle drug delivery platform for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

• The partnership includes an exclusive licence and preclinical R&D services to support targeted gene therapy development.

Hovione, an international integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced a strategic collaboration with Firstgene Life Sciences, a portfolio company of Swiss incubator Xlife Sciences AG. The partnership will focus on advancing Hovione’s proprietary virus-like particle platform for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Under the agreement, Hovione will provide Firstgene with an exclusive licence to its novel adeno-associated virus (AAV)-like particle technology specifically for HCC. The company will also supply tailored virus-like particles and lead preclinical research, including proof-of-concept studies.

The virus-like particle technology is designed for precision targeting of carcinoma cells and will be engineered using validated AAVs and a novel primer compound. Hovione will be responsible for the molecular engineering aspect of the programme.

“We are thrilled to see our new gene vector particle platform adopted by Firstgene and its forward-thinking leadership team,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Chief Executive Officer of Hovione.

HCC remains the most common type of liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The collaboration aims to address this unmet medical need through targeted gene therapy, combining Hovione’s expertise in complex particle engineering with Firstgene’s development capabilities.