12 March 2018 - - Wayne, Pennsylvania-based pediatric-onset disease therapeutics developer Aevi Genomic Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNMX) has expanded its collaboration with Japan-based life sciences company Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. with the signing of an option agreement for an early stage monoclonal antibody program in an ultra-orphan pediatric indication, the company said.
Aevi Genomic Medicine and Kyowa Hakko Kirin have developed a collaboration framework to advance preclinical programs into the clinic, leveraging Aevi Genomic Medicine's expertise in rare and orphan pediatric diseases, and its ongoing collaboration with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the biobank at the Center for Applied Genomics at CHOP.
This new program will focus on an undisclosed, first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting a specific cell surface marker implicated in an auto-immune ultra-orphan disease that primarily affects children.
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Aevi Genomic Medicine is dedicated to unlocking the potential of genomic medicine to translate genetic discoveries into novel therapies. The company's research and development efforts leverage an internal genomics platform and an ongoing collaboration with the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Kyowa Hakko Kirin is a research-based life sciences company that leverages leading-edge biotechnologies centered on antibody technologies in the core therapeutic areas of oncology, nephrology and immunology / allergy.