Synthekine Inc., a company specializing in engineered cytokine therapeutics, has recently announced a global collaboration with Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY) to jointly develop and commercialize IL-10 receptor agonists for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. This collaboration aims to advance Synthekine's various approaches to optimizing IL-10, with a focus on creating selective agonists that enhance the therapeutic index.

Expressing enthusiasm about the collaboration, John Bertin, Global Head of Inflammation and Immunology Research at Sanofi, highlighted Synthekine's leadership in targeted cytokine engineering. He emphasized the significance of IL-10 in immune regulation and underscored Sanofi's commitment to delivering innovative therapies for inflammatory diseases.

Debanjan Ray, CEO of Synthekine, echoed the excitement about partnering with Sanofi, recognizing them as a global biopharmaceutical and immunology leader. He emphasized the potential of IL-10 in regulating and suppressing inflammatory immune responses. The collaboration is expected to propel Synthekine's efforts on IL-10, leveraging their cytokine partial agonist platform and surrogate cytokine agonist platform.

According to the agreement, Synthekine and Sanofi will collaborate on research activities until a specified point in preclinical development. Subsequently, Sanofi will take sole responsibility for preclinical, clinical, and commercial activities related to IL-10 therapeutics. As part of the deal, Synthekine will receive a $40 million upfront payment from Sanofi and will be eligible for additional payments, including potential milestones in preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial stages, along with tiered royalties based on net sales.

IL-10, a crucial immune-regulatory cytokine, has garnered clinical interest as an immunosuppressive agent in the past. Despite promising efficacy, clinical studies of recombinant human IL-10 revealed dose-limiting toxicity due to its pleiotropic activity on various immune cells. Synthekine's approach involves harnessing the immunosuppressive effects of IL-10 while engineering out its immunostimulatory effects, thereby decoupling efficacy and toxicity. More information about Synthekine's cytokine partial agonist platform and surrogate cytokine agonist platform can be found here.

 

Source: businesswire.com

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