GlaxoSmithKline and Cellzome announce strategic alliance

GlaxoSmithKline and Cellzome have agreed a strategic alliance to develop and market novel kinase-targeted therapeutics to treat inflammatory diseases.

The alliance gives GSK access to Cellzome's significant expertise in identifying and developing selective kinase inhibitors.

In particular, it includes the proprietary Kinobeads technology which, by screening compounds in a physiological setting, is designed to improve the predictability of these drug candidates" performance in clinical testing.

Kinases are key molecular switches in cellular signalling events with a central role in many inflammatory responses and selective inhibitors offer a different approach to therapeutic intervention in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.

Under the agreement GSK has exclusive options to license drug candidates from Cellzome's kinase programmes directed against four identified targets, and three additional targets to be jointly identified by both parties.

Cellzome will utilise its Kinobeads technology to discover novel small molecule inhibitors of these targets, and then will develop the most promising product candidates through to completion of a clinical proof of concept trial, unless GSK elects to exercise its option earlier.

Cellzome is eligible to receive success-based milestones from GSK as product candidates are advanced. Upon Cellzome's achievement of clinical proof of concept for a product candidate for a particular kinase target, GSK would have an exclusive option to license all product candidates from that programme.

GSK would then assume full responsibility for further clinical development and commercialisation on a worldwide basis. Cellzome retains the right to continue the development and commercialisation of drug candidates if GSK chooses not to exercise its option to that programme.

Cellzome already has an alliance with Johnson & Johnson focused on the discovery of novel medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Headquartered in the US Cellzone has two operating subsidiaries in Cambridge, UK and Heidelberg, Germany.