Milestone
Innate Pharma, a spin-out from Karolinska Institutet and University of Umeå, Sweden, that develops first-in-class drug candidates targeting the innate immune system, has launched a research project to identify a monoclonal antibody to target natural killer and T cells.
The project, developed in collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S, aims to develop treatments for major chronic inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases.
Novo Nordisk A/S has the full responsibility for pre-clinical and clinical development, and, eventually, regulatory approval for drug candidates developed through this research programme. Innate Pharma, which was formed in 2000, received an undisclosed milestone payment from Novo Nordisk A/S for the project milestone. Innate Pharma will be eligible to royalties on sales if the drug candidate later receives marketing authorisation
François Romagné, Innate Pharma’s EVP and CSO, said: “With IPH 2201 and IPH 2301, this is our third program being actively developed in inflammation with Novo Nordisk A/S. It is a further demonstration of the productivity of this partnership and of the relevance of our approach in the field of inflammation.”
According to the agreement signed in 2006 between the two companies, they will collaborate on R&D programmes until March 2009.
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