Topas Therapeutics GmbH

Falkenried 88, Haus A
20251 Hamburg GERMANY

+49 40 302089010
info@topas-therapeutics.com

Press releases

  • Hamburg,
  • August 22, 2017

Topas Therapeutics Signs Multi-year Research and Option Agreement with Lilly Focused on Immune Tolerance

  • Work will utilize Topas’ novel approach for antigen-specific tolerance induction
  • Lilly has option to in-license and further develop drug candidates produced under the collaboration

Topas Therapeutics GmbH (Topas), a Hamburg, Germany-based private company, today announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to collaborate in the field of antigen-specific tolerance induction with an initial focus on external antigens thought to induce inflammation and/or autoimmune disease. Topas will be responsible for conducting pre-clinical proof-of-principle studies in collaboration with Lilly to generate drug candidates. Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly has an option for all candidates produced under the collaboration for in-licensing and further development. Topas will receive R&D; funding and participate in the future success of any compounds in-licensed by Lilly. Financial details of the collaboration are not being disclosed.

Topas’ technology platform induces antigen-specific immune tolerance by harnessing the liver’s natural immunology capabilities; peptide-loaded nanoparticles are selectively targeted towards liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). LSECs are one of the body’s premier sites to induce tolerance against bloodborne antigens by generating peptide-specific regulatory T cells.

Timm Jessen, CEO of Topas Therapeutics, said: “We are excited to be working with Lilly to generate drug candidates using our proprietary technology. We expect this work to support the value of our approach in inducing tolerance also against external antigens. Additionally, the interest from such an important pharmaceutical company in our technology, we believe, supports the strong commercial potential of our work.”

Thomas F. Bumol, Ph.D., senior vice president of biotechnology and immunology research at Lilly, added: “Lilly is committed to be an innovation leader in immunology. Topas has a very novel approach to immune tolerance induction, which we would like to see successfully applied to certain disease relevant antigens. We look forward to working together with Topas on their unique platform.”

About Topas Therapeutics
Topas Therapeutics GmbH is a private Hamburg, Germany-based biotechnology company focused on developing products to address areas of major unmet need, including autoimmune diseases, allergies and anti-drug antibodies. The Topas Particle Conjugates technology platform induces antigen-specific immune tolerance by harnessing the liver’s natural immunology capabilities. The Company has several proprietary programs; lead product candidate TPM203 has recently entered clinical testing for pemphigus vulgaris, an orphan disease. Other programs are in anti-drug antibodies, celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes, as well as a multiple sclerosis program that is available for partnering. Topas has a research and option agreement with Eli Lilly and Company focused on antigen-specific tolerance induction, and a multi-year agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim to collaborate in the field of anti-drug antibodies. Topas’ investors include: Epidarex Capital, Gimv, EMBL Ventures, Evotec and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund. For additional information, please visit: www.topas-therapeutics.com.

Topas Therapeutics GmbH
Dr. Timm-H. Jessen
CEO / Managing Director
Falkenried 88
20251 Hamburg
Email: jessen@topas-therapeutics.com
Web: www.topas-therapeutics.com

Media Relations Europe
MC Services AG
Anne Hennecke
Phone: +49 211 529252-22
Email: anne.hennecke@mc-services.eu

Media Relations U.S.
Laurie Doyle
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Email: laurie.doyle@mc-services.eu
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