Mitokinin, a UCSF startup founded on work developed in Dr. Kevan Shokat’s lab, has been acquired by AbbVie Pharmaceuticals for $110 million. The foundational technology developed by UCSF inventors activates PINK1 to remediate mitochondrial damage, a key driver in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. With this acquisition, AbbVie will be able to develop a new treatment option for patients with Parkinson’s. Under the original license agreement for the foundational IP, UCSF received a share of this acquisition amount as a cash payment.
Thanks to Ellen Kats and Darya Bubman, who negotiated the original agreement, and Catherine Smith and Ragan Robertson who shepherded the payment of the cash milestone.
