excerpt from today's BioCentury (thanks, RS!)......
MEDI (Gaithersburg, Md.) has announced two of the early
stage partnerships in the past two months (see “Partnering-In
Portfolio”). Last week, the company partnered with Critical
Therapeutics Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.) to jointly research and
develop antibodies and other therapeutics against High
Mobility Group Box Chromosomal Protein 1 (HMGB-1) to
treat severe inflammatory disorders. HMGB-1 is a cytokine
downstream from tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha that is
elevated in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease,
hemorrhagic shock, sepsis, endotoxemia and acute lung
injuries.
Increased levels of serum HMGB-1 have been seen in
sepsis patients who died from infection, according to published
articles. In a mouse model of sepsis, treatment with
anti-HMGB-1 antibodies protected against death. In addition,
Young said that anti-HMGB-1 antibodies have suppressed RA
in preclinical studies.
Although downstream from TNF, Young told BioCentury
that HMGB-1 also loops back in the cascade and induces TNF
production. Thus, the deal gives MEDI access to “another key
cytokine in the inflammatory cascade,” he said. “Critical has
rock solid IP on the molecule. This is in contrast to the TNF
market, where there are three TNF players.” |
