J&J and Cidara to develop influenza therapy

Johnson & Johnson is teaming up with Cidara Therapeutics on a therapy that treats and prevents influenza infections. Cidara is developing antiviral conjugates, in which a virus-targeting peptide or small molecule is linked to a human antibody fragment that engages the immune system and increases the therapy’s longevity. Cidara will get $27 million from J&J to advance Cidara’s influenza compound CD388 and could earn up to $753 million more in R&D funding and milestone payments. Cidara is also developing antiviral conjugates for respiratory syncytial virus, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2.