Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth and Trubion Pharmaceuticals Inc. have formed a strategic alliance for the discovery, development and commercialisation of novel biopharmaceutical products to treat inflammatory disease and cancer. The alliance will utilise Trubion's proprietary Small Modular Immunopharmaceutical (SMIP) technology.
SMIPs represent a novel class of immunotherapeutics with enhanced drug properties over monoclonal and recombinant antibodies. SMIPs are smaller than antibodies and can reach sites unavailable to larger molecules while exhibiting selective binding and long in vivo half-lives, which mean the medicine is metabolised more slowly by the body suggesting less frequent dosing will be needed. These novel compounds can be expressed in mammalian cells and customised for many disease targets, states a Wyeth release.
As part of the alliance, Wyeth and Trubion will collaborate on the development and commercialisation of CD20-targeted therapies including TRU-015, a novel SMIP compound currently in phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). TRU-015 is designed to deplete B cells - a new therapeutic strategy for B cell mediated autoimmune and inflammatory disorders such as RA and also a promising strategy for certain cancers with malignant B cells.
Trubion and Wyeth also will collaborate on a multi-target discovery program focused on the development of certain other biopharmaceutical products for major indications with unmet medical needs. Wyeth will receive worldwide rights to CD20-targeted SMIPs as will as SMIP product candidates from the discovery programme.
As part of the transaction, Trubion received an initial $40 million payment. Trubion will retain an option to co-promote CD20-targeted therapies in the United States for certain indications. Wyeth will be responsible for future development and commercialisation costs for the alliance. The agreement also provides for additional payments to Trubion upon the achievement of certain development milestones, royalties on product sales, and a stock purchase when Trubion makes a qualified initial public offering. If all milestones are achieved the total payments to Trubion could exceed $800 million, excluding royalties and co-promotion fees.
"Wyeth is excited about the development of TRU-015 for RA as well as the potential application of TRU-015 in other chronic inflammatory and B cell mediated diseases. We are proud to partner with Trubion because of the high quality of their science in an area that matches well with two of Wyeth's key therapeutic areas, inflammation and oncology," said Robert R. Ruffolo, president, Wyeth Research and Development and senior vice president, Wyeth
"We look forward to working with Wyeth both to maximise the commercial potential of TRU-015 and to leverage the productivity of Trubion's SMIP technology platform. Trubion chose Wyeth for this collaboration because of its leadership in the field of rheumatoid arthritis, bioprocess development and its success in the commercialisation of biopharmaceuticals. The strength of Wyeth's science and global capabilities makes this collaboration a great fit for Trubion," said Peter A. Thompson, president and chief executive officer, Trubion Pharmaceuticals
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is the fourth largest fully integrated biotechnology pharmaceutical company in the world with capacity to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialise biological therapeutics.
Trubion Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialisation of novel medicines to treat inflammatory disease and cancer.