Heptares meets milestone in MedImmune research collaboration

UK-based drug company Heptares Therapeutics has successfully completed the research phase of its antibody drug discovery collaboration with MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN).

In achieving this milestone, Heptares has delivered StaR proteins (thermostabilized G protein-coupled receptors, GPCRs) for its targets nominated by MedImmune for antibody discovery as part of the research collaboration initiated in May 2011. Under the terms of the accord, AstraZeneca has worldwide commercial rights to product candidates emerging from the collaboration. Heptares received an upfront $6.25 million cash payment fee plus committed research funding and also qualifies for significsant future payments depending on delivery of agreed milestones. Heptares will also receive royalties on sales of all products discovered through the joint research

Malcolm Weir, Heptares chief executive, said: “The delivery of a StaR for each nominated target is an important achievement in the successful research phase of our collaboration with MedImmune. The StaR proteins will now be used by MedImmune as antigens to which novel therapeutic antibodies can be generated. The ability of our StaR platform to generate antigen for antibody drug discovery, as exemplified by the success of our collaboration with MedImmune, highlights the potential of this technology to transform GPCR-targeted drug design and development.”