GSK expands inflammatory alliance

GlaxoSmithKline has formed a second strategic alliance with Cellzome to research new treatments for inflammatory diseases.

GSK will buy into Cellzome’s ‘Episphere’ technology, which is designed to discover novel drugs directed against targets involved in the regulation of epigenetics (hidden influences upon genes) and immuno-inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The technology allows the screening and profiling of inhibitors of epigenetic targets in their native environment and can also differentiate between the complexes in which these targets operate.

The companies will share operational responsibility for the programmes until drug candidates are identified, at which stage GSK will assume responsibility for any further preclinical and clinical development, and commercialisation.

This is the second alliance for the companies, in 2008 they teamed up to discover, develop and market kinase-targeted therapeutics to treat inflammatory disease in a deal that is forecasted to net Cellzome £840 million.

Tim Edwards, chief executive of Cellzome, said: “We are delighted to form another major alliance with GSK, using our leading technology and people to find transformative medicines in this exciting field of biology. Combining forces with GSK will accelerate the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs for the benefit of patients.”

Cellzome will receive an up-front payment of 33 million euros and will be eligible for milestone payments and tiered royalties for each specific programme.

The maximum possible milestone payment will be 475 million euros if each target its met, delivered and commercialised.

Cellzome’s research operations are run from two laboratories in Cambridge, UK and Heidelberg, Germany, where the company employs about 90 people.