Spark Therapeutics announced a collaboration and option agreement with Senti Biosciences to apply Senti Bio's gene circuit technology to the development of next-generation precision gene therapies directed toward specific cell types in the central nervous system (CNS), eye or liver. Created from novel and proprietary combinations of DNA sequences, gene circuits reprogram cells with biological logic to sense inputs, compute decisions and respond to their environments for defined therapeutic applications. Senti Bio's gene circuit technologies include high-throughput approaches to design and test highly potent and specific Smart Sensors that are responsive to cell-type- and/or cell-state-specific biomarkers.

These Smart Sensors include synthetic promoters, which are compact DNA sequences engineered to moreprecisely regulate the expression of therapeutic genes. Spark Therapeutics will apply Senti Bio's Smart Sensors gene circuit platform towards the goal of developing gene therapies that achieve cell type- or disease-selective expression of therapeutic payloads. Under the terms of the agreement, Senti Bio will be responsible for designing, building and testing cell type- and disease specific-synthetic promoters for use in developing certain CNS, eye or liver-directed gene therapies.

Spark Therapeutics will receive the option to exclusively license a defined number of synthetic promoters emerging from the collaboration for use in developing gene therapy products in specified indications. Upon option exercise, Spark Therapeutics will be responsible for conducting preclinical, clinical and commercialization activities for any gene therapy candidates that incorporate Senti Bio's licensed synthetic promoters. Senti Bio will receive an upfront payment as well as funding to support its research activities, and upon option exercise will be eligible to receive an option exercise payment as well as development, regulatory and sales milestone payments in addition to royalties on a per product basis.

The aggregate potential value of upfront, opt-in and milestone payments to Senti Bio may exceed $645 million.