Maxygen and Astellas to develop therapies for autoimmune diseases

Published: 19-Sep-2008

US biopharmaceutical company Maxygen and Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma have entered into a global agreement under which Astellas will receive worldwide rights to commercialise MAXY-4 lead candidates for all autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection.


US biopharmaceutical company Maxygen and Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma have entered into a global agreement under which Astellas will receive worldwide rights to commercialise MAXY-4 lead candidates for all autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection.

MAXY-4 is Maxygen's preclinical programme to create a next-generation CTLA4-Ig protein for rheumatoid arthritis, transplant rejection and other autoimmune indications. Under the agreement, the companies will co-develop MAXY-4 candidates for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, while Astellas will exclusively develop MAXY-4 candidates for transplant rejection.

In addition, Maxygen has an option to co-promote any autoimmune therapeutic products developed under this alliance in North America, with revenues subject to a profit-sharing arrangement. Regardless of indication, Astellas will manufacture the finished product using active drug substance provided by Maxygen and market and sell such product globally.

Maxygen will receive a US$10m (Euro 7m) initial payment and is eligible to receive up to an additional $160m (â"šÂ¬114m) in pre-launch milestone payments. Maxygen is also eligible to receive royalties on all sales.

In addition to the $10m up-front payment, Astellas will pay for the first $10m of certain preclinical costs related to development of MAXY-4 candidates, after which the companies will share preclinical and development costs of MAXY-4 candidates for autoimmune disease indications in North America and European countries. Astellas will be responsible for development costs for autoimmune disease indications in the rest of the world and for transplant rejection indication worldwide.

"Astellas is committed to solidifying immunology as one of our prioritized therapeutic areas, and this partnership should become a driving force to enhance our leadership position in the transplantation franchise," said Hirofumi Onosaka, Astellas's senior corporate executive.

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