Merck Serono eyes ‘Nanobody’ potential in rheumatology
pharmafile | October 14, 2010 | News story | Research and Development | Ablynx, Merck Serono
Merck Serono has expanded its research with Ablynx and will co-develop ‘Nanobodies’ from the Belgian biotech against an inflammatory disease target.
Under the terms of the new agreement Ablynx will receive 10 million euro up front, and on final acceptance of the resulting pre-clinical package presented to Merck Serono, the firm is eligible for a 15 million euro milestone payment.
Ablynx also has the option to continue with Merck Serono up to a 50:50 co-development basis and share the resulting profits, or to convert this collaboration into an exclusive, worldwide licensing deal with milestone payments and significant tiered royalties.
Merck Serono’s executive VP of research and development Dr Bernhard Kirschbaum said: “We are very pleased with the progress made to date in our existing collaboration with Ablynx in oncology and immunology and look forward to expanding it to the area of rheumatology where our research focuses on proteins that modulate key pathogenic mechanisms.
“We believe that the specific features of Nanobodies have the potential to address some of the challenges in treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in general, and rheumatology in particular.”
Nanobodies are relatively simple proteins about a tenth the size of antibodies and just a few nanometers in length. It is hoped they will yield new medicines for Alzheimer’s and other diseases beyond the reach of current antibodies.
Ablynx previously teamed up with Merck Serono in September 2008 to co-develop Nanobodies against two targets in oncology and immunology.
Commenting on the latest deal Ablynx chief executive Dr Edwin Moses said: “We are delighted to broaden our relationship with Merck Serono. This second collaboration and the novel deal structure underline the confidence that Merck Serono has in our discovery and pre-clinical development capabilities.”
In May this year the biotech signed a separate agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, in a deal worth a possible $265 million.
Brett Wells
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