Pfizer and Imcyse have entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement for a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) program that utilizes Imcyse’s Imotope technology. The two companies have worked together in the past, and they hope that they will be able to repeat their past success.
About Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the joints that causes symptoms like pain in the joints, back, and muscles, lumps and redness in the skin, bumps and swelling of the fingers, fatigue, anemia, stiffness, swelling, weakness, tenderness, a sensation of pins and needles, dry mouth, and physical deformity. All of these symptoms occur because the body’s immune system attacks the lining of the membranes around the joints. This results in the characteristic inflammation. Fortunately, there are a number of treatments for RA. These include medications for inflammation, massages, exercise, acupuncture, pain medication, weight management, a healthy diet, orthoses, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
About the Collaboration
In terms of the agreement, Pfizer will handle clinical development of the rheumatoid arthritis program. They have done so in previous collaborations with Imcyse. In 2018, the two companies worked together to develop an Imotope for the treatment of RA. An imotope is certain modified peptide that is able to target the inflammatory disorder.
Looking deeper into Imotopes, they were created to stimulate cytolytic T cells, which then mobilize to eliminate the disease pathway. They do not touch any other part of the immune system, therefore making them able to disrupt the immune response that destroys healthy cells without hurting other parts of the body.
Back to the deal, Pfizer will provide an equity stake in Imcyse and an upfront cash payment. If all goes well, there is the possibility of milestone payments amounting up to $180 million. In the last section of the agreement, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer of the Inflammation & Immunology Research Unit and senior vice president, Mike Vincent, will join Imcyse’s Scientific Advisory Board.
The two companies are very excited to work together again, and they hope to see the success of their rheumatoid arthritis platform.
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