Hamburg-based biotech agrees R&D collaboration with Eli Lilly

Privately-held Topas Therapeutics, a spin-out from German biotech firm Evotec (EVT: Xetra), has agreed a multi-year agreement with Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) 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.

The Hamburg-based firm 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.