OSE Immunotherapeutics to receive up to 155 million euros over Janssen's FR104 development

Janssen Biotech, a European subsidiary of US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), has exercised an option within its global licensing agreement with France-based OSE Immunotherapeutics (OSE: EN Paris) to take on the development of FR104.

This product is a monoclonal antibody fragment and antagonist of CD28, a key receptor in effector T lymphocytes, with preclinical proof of concept demonstrated in autoimmune diseases and transplantation. It has been developed by Effimune, which became OSE Immunotherapeutics on merging with OSE Pharma only a month ago.

Under the terms of the agreement, Janssen will be responsible for all clinical development, registration and commercialization activities for FR104, internationally, in the areas of autoimmune diseases and transplantation. The deal was facilitated by Effimune and Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s London Innovation Centre in October 2013.