Lexicon and Xoma strike antibody deal
collaboration to jointly develop and commercialise antibody drugs
that could be effective in treating diet-induced obesity and
enhanced insulin sensitivity.
Antibodies to this target may have utility in the treatment of type II diabetes, obesity and metabolic diseases. Under the terms of the agreement Lexicon has agreed to submit at least two other targets for consideration by the collaboration during the initial term.
The collaboration will combine Lexicon's target discovery and biotherapeutics capabilities with XOMA's antibody generation and process development to accelerate the development and commercialisation of novel therapeutic antibodies.
The three-year term will see Lexicon submit collaboration targets from among those discovered in the company's Genome5000 program. In this program, Lexicon is using its gene knockout technology to discover the physiological functions of 5,000 potential drug targets.
Lexicon's Genome 5000 program uses gene knockout technology to discover the physiological and behavioural functions of human genes through analysis of the corresponding knockout mouse models. Genome5000 focuses on discovery of the functions in proteins encoded by gene families such as G-protein coupled, or GPCR's, and other receptors, kinases, ion channels, other key enzymes and secreted proteins.
XOMA, a developer and manufacturer of recombinant proteins and peptides, will generate or engineer antibodies that modulate the collaboration's targets using phage display libraries and its proprietary Human Engineering technology.
Human Engineering is a technology that allows modification of any non-human monoclonal antibody to reduce or eliminate detectable immunogenicity in humans. The technology uses a unique algorithm developed at XOMA, based on analysis of the conserved structure-function relationships among antibodies.
The method defines which residues in a non-human variable region are candidates to be modified. The result is a Human Engineered antibody generated in a minimal amount of time, with preserved antigen binding, structure and function, and eliminated or greatly reduced immunogenicity.
Additional terms of the agreement will see Lexicon and XOMA share the responsibility and costs for research, preclinical, clinical and commercialisation activities.
Costs and profits will be allocated 65 per cent to Lexicon and 35 per cent to XOMA. In addition, XOMA will have principal responsibility for manufacturing the antibodies for use in clinical trials and commercial sales.
"Combining these targets with XOMA's antibody expertise should create a formula for successful drug development," John Castello, president, chairman and chief executive officer of XOMA.
The collaboration swiftly follows May's collaboration with Organon to jointly develop and commercialise novel biotherapeutics. The collaboration intends to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic antibodies and secreted proteins.
The agreement additionally sees Lexicon create and analyse mouse knockouts of each of the 300 genes to identify promising human drug targets.
