Advertise With UsAdvertise on our extensive network of industry websites and newsletters.
Get the PBR newsletterSign up to our free email to get all the latest PBR
news.Astellas Pharma has entered into an exclusive license agreement with US-based biotechnology firm Immunomic Therapeutics to develop a vaccine that could relieve a common allergy that affects millions of people in Japan.
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Under the deal, Astellas is responsible to develop and commercialize Immunomic’s vaccine candidate JRC2-LAMP-vax, which is designed to treat allergies induced by Japanese red cedar pollen.
Both the firms intend to commence a Phase I trial of JRC2-LAMP-vax in Japan once it is prepared.
Upon the execution of the agreement, Immunomic will receive $15m and about $55m in total development and regulatory milestone and technology transfer payments as well as tiered double-digit royalties on net sales of the product.
Funding for the clinical trial development and supporting development expenses for Japan will be done by Astellas.
Immunomic Therapeutics president and CEO Dr William Hearl said: "Our Japanese red cedar allergy vaccine therapy, JRC2-LAMP-vax, will provide millions of allergic subjects with a truly novel solution with a long-lasting disease treatment."
Additionally, Immunomic granted Astellas an exclusive option to negotiate a license for additional LAMP-vax DNA vaccines to treat allergy indications other than Japanese red cedar pollinosis in Japan.
Astellas senior vice president and chief strategy officer Kenji Yasukawa said: "Immunomic Therapeutics uses a novel vaccine technology, LAMP-vax platform that will offer the next generation vaccines for allergy.
"We are very excited to partner Immunomic Therapeutics and we hope that we will deliver to patients a safe and game-changing therapeutic approach with short administration period for Japanese red cedar pollinosis from which almost one-quarter of the population in Japan are suffering."