Zenyth, Murigen to co-develop new drugs that target arthritis, other inflammatory diseases

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., Feb. 21 - Zenyth Therapeutics and MuriGen Therapeutics announced a collaboration agreement to co-develop a new class of drugs that target arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

The collaboration will aim to develop therapeutic proteins that inhibit the activity of the cytokine granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), or its receptor.

G-CSF regulates the production of key inflammatory cells. Scientists at Melbourne, Australia's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) have recently demonstrated that blocking G-CSF activity can have a profound impact on the development of inflammatory disease in animal models, according to a company news release.

Treatment was effective even once disease was established and compared very favorably with blockade of the cytokine TNF, the target of current highly successful treatments. These results are the subject of a recent patent application by WEHI, and that patent has been exclusively licensed to MuriGen; a WEHI start-up company, the release stated.

"This project represents a significant new opportunity for Zenyth. Our portfolio is now clearly focused on therapeutic antibodies for inflammation and cancer and this project fits extremely well within that focus," said Andrew Nash, Zenyth's chief executive officer, in a statement.

"We are delighted to be collaborating with our colleagues at MuriGen and to be continuing our longstanding and productive relationship with WEHI."

Nash noted that the project would benefit from Zenyth's capacity to generate therapeutic antibodies, including through the recently announced agreement with Dyax Corp.

"These targets are well suited to antibody-based therapies and application of the Dyax phage display antibody libraries will be a key aspect of the research program," Nash added.

Under the agreement, Zenyth and MuriGen will jointly fund research and development of the potential drug on a cost-sharing basis through to completion of proof-of-concept in human clinical trials.

Zenyth is a Victoria, Australia-based biotechnology company focused on the development of antibody-based therapies in the areas of inflammation and cancer.

MuriGen is a Victoria, Australia-based drug discovery and development company.

© 2015 Prospect News.
All content on this website is protected by copyright law in the U.S. and elsewhere. For the use of the person downloading only.
Redistribution and copying are prohibited by law without written permission in advance from Prospect News.
Redistribution or copying includes e-mailing, printing multiple copies or any other form of reproduction.