Lonza Targets Blood–Brain Barrier Challenge with Nona Biosciences Deal
Through acquiring the rights to Nona Biosciences’ TfR1 BBB technology and expanding its strategic collaboration with the company, Lonza is broadening its capabilities to support customers developing next-gen CNS therapies.
Lonza has expanded its capabilities in central nervous system (CNS) drug development through the acquisition of blood–brain barrier (BBB) technology from Nona Biosciences. In addition to the acquisition of the BBB technology, the companies are expanding their existing strategic collaboration to advance next-generation brain delivery solutions (1).
Under the terms of the agreement, Lonza will gain the rights to Nona’s transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1)-targeting platform, a technology designed to enable therapeutic molecules to cross the highly selective BBB by leveraging the brain’s natural iron transport mechanism. Lonza has also confirmed that the platform will be made immediately available to CNS therapy developers, positioning it as a near-term enabler for biologics targeting neurological diseases.
“With the fully acquired IP [intellectual property] rights to Nona’s BBB-crossing technology and through our continued collaboration, we are immediately enabling our customers to translate promising CNS assets into viable therapeutics,” said Peter Droc, Head of Licensing, Lonza, in a company press release (1).
Overcoming the BBB remains one of the most persistent challenges in CNS drug development, as the protective barrier restricts many large and complex molecules from reaching the brain. The integration of Nona’s BBB-crossing approach with Lonza’s biologics development infrastructure is expected to help address this bottleneck and accelerate CNS candidate progression.
“The TfR1 BBB technology significantly expands our toolkit to address one of the toughest challenges in modern medicine: delivering biologics to the brain consistently,” added Ulrich Osswald, Vice President, Global Innovation, Lonza, in a company press release (1). “Together with our expertise in antibody engineering and bioconjugation, this creates a powerful approach to support the development of next-generation CNS therapeutics.”
Lonza will incorporate and offer its own established platforms, including its GS Gene Expression System and GlycoConnect bioconjugation technology, alongside the TfR1-targeting single-domain antibody (VHH) technology developed by Nona. Preclinical data from the collaboration indicate significantly improved brain delivery versus industry benchmarks. In vivo studies demonstrated enhanced brain penetration, increased neuronal uptake, and broader distribution across brain tissue.
The partnership builds on an earlier research collaboration between the two companies, which validated the potential of the BBB-crossing technology. Under the expanded agreement, both parties will continue to work together on the development of next-generation delivery solutions, with a focus on improving consistency and targeting precision.
“We are excited to support Lonza to develop and commercialize high quality single-domain antibody–based BBB-crossing technologies for CNS diseases,” commented Dr. Di Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Nona, in the press release (1). “By combining our technology with Lonza’s services and development and manufacturing expertise, we are confident to offer next-generation BBB shuttle solutions that can unlock new treatment paradigms for patients suffering from devastating CNS disorders.”
Lonza views the deal as a strategic step in strengthening its position in complex biologics and advanced modalities. The company highlighted its ability to support customers across the full development lifecycle — from early-stage licensing to commercial manufacturing — as a key differentiator in the competitive CDMO landscape. The move also reflects growing investment in CNS therapies, where demand for effective delivery technologies is rising as pipelines diversify toward biologics and other large molecules.
Reference
Lonza. Lonza Acquires Rights to Nona Biosciences’ TfR1 Blood-Brain Barrier Technology and Expands Strategic Collaboration. Press Release, July 2, 2026.