Eleven Biotherapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, have entered into a research collaboration and license agreement with ThromboGenics NV to research and develop a protein therapeutic based on a novel biologic target implicated in ophthalmic disease. The collaboration aims to employ Eleven’s proprietary AMP-Rx protein design technology to optimize a novel therapeutic of ThromboGenics’ selection to have improved pharmaceutical characteristics and therapeutic benefits.

The novel biologic will be designed to treat back of the eye diseases such as diabetic macular edema.

Under the terms of the agreement, Eleven will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible to receive undisclosed development, regulatory and sales milestone payments as well as royalties on potential future sales commensurate with industry standards. ThromboGenics will have the exclusive license to pursue development and commercialization of the novel protein and both companies will work together on preclinical research.

“Eleven’s novel approach to designing protein therapeutics for ocular diseases, which has been demonstrated with EBI-005, our lead product candidate in phase Ib clinical development for dry eye disease, will be applied to discover and optimize novel modulators of this evolving pathway which is central to ophthalmic disease,” said Abbie Celniker, president and CEO of Eleven Biotherapeutics. “This collaboration demonstrates the commitment of both Eleven Biotherapeutics and ThromboGenics to developing proteins to treat a variety of ocular diseases and validates Eleven’s unique approach to rational protein engineering through novel structures, enhanced biophysical properties, and more effective targeting in disease pathways.”

Eleven Biotherapeutics recently presented clinical and preclinical data at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2013 Annual Meeting highlighting its novel approach to optimizing topically applied proteins on the surface of the eye and its lead product candidate, EBI-005, as the first rationally-designed topically administered IL-1 protein for the treatment of ocular diseases, including dry eye disease. Patient enrollment and dosing has been completed in a phase Ib clinical study of EBI-005 treating patients with dry eye disease; top-line data is expected in the second half of 2013.

Eleven Biotherapeutics creates novel and differentiated biotherapeutics: first-of-a-kind protein-based drugs with significantly improved physical, pharmaceutical, and therapeutic benefits.