Inhibiting caspase-6 activation and catalytic activity for neurodegenerative diseases

Partnerships between industry and academia are becoming increasingly complex and relevant in the drive to discover innovative new medicines. We describe the structure of the collaboration between the University of California - San Francisco - Small Molecule Discovery Center (UCSF-SMDC) and Genentech to develop chemical matter that inhibits the activity of caspase-6. We focus on the scientific basis for the partnership and how the orientation- and transaction-related barriers were overcome. We describe the division of labor that allowed two groups to operate as a unified team to generate multiple chemical series with distinct mechanisms of action. The successful structure of the agreement serves as a model for future collaborations at both institutions.