Sanofi company Genzyme has entered a research collaboration with Ablynx to investigate treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).
The neurodegeneration found in MS patients is not directly targeted by existing treatments and the partnership will focus on investigating Nanobodies against a target that plays a key role in MS.
Under the terms of the agreement, Genzyme will have rights to perform in vitro and in vivo research with Ablynx’s Nanobodies in MS relevant models in return for an exclusivity fee. Upon completion, Genzyme will have the option to negotiate a license agreement.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr Edwin Moses, CEO of Ablynx, said: “As a leading biotech company, Genzyme is an ideal partner to demonstrate the potential value of Ablynx’s versatile Nanobody technology platform in MS.
“The formatting flexibility of Nanobodies makes them promising candidates for combining antibody-like selectivity and multi-specificity in a single molecule. We are looking forward to working for the first time with Genzyme.”
Ablynx has already generated potent Nanobodies against the specific target of interest and has proven their activity in pre-clinical trials.
Johanne Kaplan, VP of neuroimmunology research at Genzyme added: “We look forward to collaborating with Ablynx to evaluate the potential of Nanobodies against this CNS target, as this project supports our research that includes the exploration of novel therapeutic platforms to address unmet needs in multiple sclerosis.”