French biotech Enodia Therapeutics is paying $1 million upfront in a backloaded deal for Kezar Life Sciences’ preclinical protein degradation program.
The deal centers on Kezar’s almost decade-long work on the Sec61 complex, which mediates key steps in the production of proteins from eukaryotic cells. Kezar has “made significant early advances in the Sec61 field with the discovery of small molecule inhibitors,” Enodia acknowledged in a March 12 release.
Kezar has previously published preclinical research on KZR-540, its oral small molecule Sec61 inhibitor designed to selectively block PD-1 expression.
Kezar’s program is a good fit for Paris-based Enodia, which has a platform also focused on Sec61. Specifically, Enodia has been exploring how modulating the Sec61 complex could prevent cells from producing disease-relevant proteins in order to develop a pipeline of its own small-molecule inhibitors.
“By integrating Kezar’s extensive preclinical datasets into our selective targeted protein degradation platform, this acquisition enhances our ability to make accelerated, yet informed development decisions across our candidate programs,” Enodia CEO Yves Ribeill, Ph.D., said.
In return for the program, Kezar receives the $1 million cash and potentially up to $127 million in development, regulatory and commercialization milestones as well as tiered royalties on net sales should a resulting drug make it to market.
Argobio-built Enodia launched in February 2025 to take forward a secretome-focused platform that has its roots in research from France’s Pasteur Institute. In January, the company secured $25 million in a Pfizer Ventures-backed seed financing round.
By modulating the Sec61 complex, Enodia is trying to intervene “upstream” in the progress of a disease “without compromising vital physiological functions, and before damage occurs,” the company explains on its website. The end goal is to “unlock previously undruggable secreted and membrane protein targets.”
Today’s deal should enable Enodia to advance its understanding of Sec61 selectivity mechanisms, plus expand its “biological and translational insights for faster progression toward key clinical milestones,” the company said.
Although Kezar is handing over its program, CEO Chris Kirk, Ph.D., said the protein-targeting biotech “continues to have strong conviction” in targeting Sec61.
Today’s agreement follows a tough few months for Kezar. After struggling in October to align with the FDA on a potential registrational trial for its immunoproteasome inhibitor zetomipzomib in patients with autoimmune hepatitis, the biotech implemented “significant” layoffs alongside other cost-cutting measures.