OPi will advance Vaccinex’ candidate through clinical trials.
Vaccinex granted OPi exclusive worldwide rights to its fully human anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibody, OPR-003, and to several alternate antibodies, according to an agreement between the two companies. OPR-003 is the first fully human antibody to be developed within the anti-IL6 and anti-IL6R class, according to Vaccinex.

In 2004, OPi and Vaccinex initiated a research collaboration to discover fully human antibodies derived from OPi’s murine anti-IL6 antibody, elsilimomab, which showed positive proof-of-concept clinical data in malignant hematological diseases. The collaboration identified a panel of high affinity fully-human anti-IL6 antibodies with comparable functionality to elsilimomab, says Vaccinex. OPi has initiated preclinical development.

“Given its clinical potential and its competitive advantages, advancing these fully human antibodies to the clinic will be one of our key objectives,” says Gilles Alberici, Ph.D., president and founder of OPi.

According to the agreement, Vaccinex will be eligible to receive milestone payments and royalties and will have the opportunity to participate as a co-development partner in certain markets.

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