Zenyth in-licenses antibody for treatment of inflammation

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., Feb. 28 - Zenyth Therapeutics Ltd. said it has exclusively in-licensed patents to antibodies that target the receptor for the cytokine granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.

Under terms of the licensing agreement, Zenyth has access to antibodies and reagents developed by researchers at the Melbourne, Australia, branch of the Ludwig Institute, according to a company news release.

Scientists at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) have demonstrated that blocking G-CSF impacted the development of inflammatory disease in animal models of arthritis. A patent related to this development has been licensed to MuriGen by WEHI.

Zenyth said it plans to collaborate with MuriGen Therapeutics to develop a drug to inhibit G-CSF, which regulates the production of certain inflammatory cells.

"The technology we have licensed from LICR [Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research] supports our collaboration with MuriGen and provides us with a great opportunity to rapidly develop a therapeutic antibody targeting G-CSF activity," Zenyth chief executive officer Andrew Nash said in the release.

"We expect that such an antibody will be effective in the treatment of a number of serious inflammatory conditions with large potential markets."

Zenyth, a Melbourne, Australia-based biotechnology company, develops and commercializes antibody-based therapies for inflammation and cancer.

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