Astellas Pharma has agreed to collaborate withProteostasis Therapeuticsto research and develop therapies that target the unfolded protein response for the treatment of an undisclosed genetic disease. Proteostasis could receive more than US$400 M for this initial projectand the total deal value could reach US$1.2 B if Astellas fully exercises its right to initiate two additional programmes. The deal continues Astellas’ efforts to build a network of research collaborations in Cambridge, Massachusetts and follows a restructuring of its R&D operations in May 2013.