Alder licenses clazakizumab inflammation candidate rights to Vitaeris

In return, Alder has secured an equity stake in Vitaeris, which is engaged in the development of clazakizumab and other treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases.

Alder will also be eligible for royalties and other unspecified payments.

US-based Alder discovered the monoclonal antibody candidate clazakizumab, which is designed to block the interleukin-6 (IL-6).

IL-6 plays an important role in the inflammatory cascade resultinh in the inflammation, swelling, pain and destruction of large and small joints associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Clazakizumab has been studied in clinical trials involving more than 1000 patients. The therapeutic is yet to secure approval in any indication.

As part of the agreement, Alder’s president and CEO Randall Schatzman has joined Vitaeris’ board of directors.

Vitaeris co-founder and chairman Noel Hall said: "As a best-in-class anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody, clazakizumab holds significant potential as a treatment for inflammatory diseases, and we will leverage the robust clinical trial data in hand to chart its development path.

"The inhibition of IL-6 with clazakizumab is a promising anti-inflammatory mechanism that could result in new therapeutic options."

Alder secured full development rights to clazakizumab in 2014 from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) after the termination of a license and collaboration agreement signed in 2009.

Under that deal, Alder received $85m upfront from BMS and may have received another $764m in milestone payments.

Image: Crystal structure of IL-6 as published in the Protein Data Bank (PDB: 1ALU). Photo: courtesy of Ramin Herati.