After signing a research collaboration agreement for discovering and developing novel small molecule RORgamma modulators for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, Karo Bio has achieved a first milestone payment from Pfizer.

“The teams from Karo Bio and Pfizer have enjoyed an excellent interaction and relationship which has helped meet this goal. This achievement clearly demonstrates the value Karo Bio brings to its partners in the area of nuclear receptor drug discovery,” says Karo Bio’s CEO Per Bengtsson.

The nuclear hormone receptor RORgamma is a novel attractive target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. RORgamma directly controls the production and secretion of the cytokine IL-17, a major contributor to inflammation. The receptor’s key role in driving disease pathology has been implicated in clinical trials using monoclonal antibodies that neutralize IL-17 activity.

Karo Bio is a pharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of innovative drugs for large medical needs. The world-leading knowledge of nuclear receptors as target proteins for the development of pharmaceuticals and the related mechanisms of action, is utilized as a foundation for developing novel, more effective and safer pharmaceuticals.