Seattle startup Cyrus inks protein-design deal with immune biotech Selecta worth up to $1.5 billion GeekWire
Seattle-based Cyrus Biotechnology is entering a protein engineering collaboration with Boston-based Selecta Biosciences that could pull in up to $1.5 billion for the University of Washington spinout. The partnership will support the development of new agents for immune-related conditions, the companies announced this week. The partnership includes an undisclosed up-front payment and is worth up to $1.5 billion for Cyrus — if the deal hits certain drug discovery, development and sales milestones. The partnership’s lead program will combine an immune modulating agent developed by Selecta with a protein called IL-2, being engineered by Cyrus. Cyrus CEO Lucas Nivon. (Cyrus Photo) Cyrus is enhancing IL-2 through its protein engineering software and through testing at the laboratory bench. Cyrus can engineer therapeutic proteins with properties such as greater stability in the body, using its software tools originating from the UW’s Institute for Protein Design. The new partner