Astellas Pharma Inc. licenses an AI-designed AAV muscle capsid from Dyno Therapeutics, Inc., triggering a $15 million fee and advancing gene therapy delivery for skeletal muscle disorders.
Written By: Sana Khan BPharm
Reviewed By: Pharmacally Editorial Team
Dyno Therapeutics, Inc. announced that Astellas Pharma Inc. has exercised its option to license a novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid, engineered for therapeutic delivery to skeletal muscle. The capsid was developed under the companies’ research collaboration initiated in December 2021. The agreement marks Dyno’s first licensed muscle capsid and its second overall, following Roche exercising an option for a neurological disease capsid in January 2025.
Dyno stated that this milestone positions the company as the first to license AI-designed AAV capsids for both central nervous system (CNS) and muscle gene therapies.
Addressing Challenges in Muscle Gene Therapy
Gene therapies targeting muscle disorders have historically faced limited delivery efficiency. Wild-type AAV capsids typically require high doses to achieve therapeutic levels in muscle tissue, which can increase safety risks and manufacturing complexity.
Dyno uses artificial intelligence models trained on billions of in vivo measurements to engineer optimized capsids. The company reports that this approach enables improved targeting and performance compared with traditional rational design or directed evolution methods.
AI-Engineered Capsid Shows Improved Targeting
The licensed capsid demonstrated superior skeletal muscle targeting in nonhuman primates while maintaining compatibility with established AAV9-based manufacturing processes. Dyno noted that this allows scalable production without major process changes.
According to Dyno leadership, the licensing decision reflects validation of its AI-driven platform and supports advancement toward clinical development. The company indicated that the capsid is designed to enable safer and more effective delivery to skeletal and cardiac muscle at lower doses.
Executive Commentary
Eric Kelsic, Chief Executive Officer and cofounder of Dyno Therapeutics, said the agreement demonstrates progress in applying AI technologies to engineer improved AAV capsids and highlighted Astellas’ investment in gene therapy delivery innovations.
Adrian Veres, Chief Scientific Officer and cofounder, emphasized that AI-guided exploration of capsid sequence space enabled enhanced targeting performance in nonhuman primate studies and supports lower-dose therapeutic delivery to muscle tissues.
Financial Terms and Development Responsibilities
Under the terms of the 2021 collaboration, Astellas will pay Dyno a $15 million license fee. Astellas will also assume responsibility for preclinical development, clinical studies, and commercialization of gene therapy candidates using the licensed capsid.
Dyno remains eligible for additional clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, along with royalties on any resulting products.
Reference
Dyno Therapeutics Announces Capsid License Exercised by Astellas for Skeletal Muscle-Targeted Gene Delivery, Validating AI-Powered Technology for Biological Sequence Design, 08 April 2026, https://www.dynotx.com/news/dyno-therapeutics-announces-capsid-license-exercised-by-astellas-for-skeletal-muscle-targeted-gene-delivery-validating-ai-powered-technology-for-biological-sequence-design
About the Writer
Sana Jamil Khan is a B.Pharm graduate with a strong interest in medical writing and scientific communication. Her work focuses on interpreting clinical research, exploring developments in pharmaceutical science, and presenting complex medical information in a clear and accessible manner. She is particularly interested in topics related to human clinical studies, drug safety observations, and emerging therapeutic research.
