MedImmune Works with NGM Biopharmaceuticals to Develop EEC-related Therapeutics
On June 17, 2013, AstraZeneca announced that its global biologics research and development branch—MedImmuneand and NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. entered into an exclusive agreement to discover, develop and commercialize novel therapeutics from NGM’s enteroendocrine cell (EEC) programme. The main focus of this agreement is put on the treatment of type-2 diabetes and obesity.
EECs represent less than 1% of all gastrointestinal (GI) cells, but produce virtually all of the known GI hormones, including GLP-1. EECs are an underexplored source of novel hormones that could play a major role in the positive and negative regulation of metabolism and glucose homeostasis.
With the platform isolating and analyzing EECs, they plan to identify novel secreted peptide hormones that are potentially linked to the profound metabolic effects of bariatric surgery and serve as potential targets for the treatment of metabolic diseases.
MedImmune and NGM will jointly advance first-in-class peptide and antibody drug candidates based on the discovered EEC hormones. MedImmune will have the option to license in these EEC targets, and will be responsible for the global development, manufacture and commercialization of compounds resulting from the collaboration.
Under the terms of the agreement, MedImmune will make an upfront payment and provide NGM research funding over the course of the collaboration. If certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones are achieved, NGM will be entitled to receive various payments, as well as royalties on worldwide product sales.
Article Link: MedImmune Works with NGM Biopharmaceuticals to Develop EEC-related Therapeutics
Tags: GLP-1, Hormones, Peptide, Antibody