Partners
Peptimmune is seeking to collaborate with pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies with complementary strengths and assets.
Areas of Interest:
- Peptide and Peptide Copolymer Therapeutics
- Formulation and CMC
- CNS and Autoimmune Disease Therapies
- Peptimmune DEEP™ (Directed Expansion of Epitope Permutation) Technology
- Novel antibody ligands for research
- Therapeutic antibodies
- Peptide vaccines
Current Partners
Orphan Europe, a division of Recordati s.p.a.
In November 2006, Peptimmune and Orphan Europe entered into a Scientific Collaboration and License Agreement regarding the development of a peptide immunotherapy for the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris. The aim of the collaboration is to bring to market a new efficient drug to treat this rare, life-threatening, autoimmune skin disease. Peptimmune has conducted a phase I trial establishing the safety of the treatment and an orphan drug designation has been obtained in the USA. Orphan Europe will continue the development and conduct clinical trials to take the product through the regulatory process in Europe up to marketing authorization. Orphan Europe will then market the product in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Peptimmune has retained full rights for the program in all other geographies.
Medivir AB
In February 2006, Medivir AB, a publicly traded pharmaceutical company based in Sweden and UK, acquired all project rights for the development of Cathepsin S inhibitors from Peptimmune. As a result of the transaction, Medivir will provide Peptimmune a royalty on Medivir’s future income from its Cathepsin S inhibitors. The project aims to develop a pharmaceutical for autoimmune and allergic disorders based on the inhibition of the protease enzyme Cathepsin S. Medivir has developed several series of highly potent and selective compounds that have demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. One candidate drug (CD) has already been selected, and optimization of compounds is underway for selection of one or more further CDs.
