The Feinstein Institute and Applied Immunotherapeutics, Inc. Agree to Develop New Anti-Inflammatory Treatments for Autoimmune Disease
License agreement will commercialize breakthrough discoveries from Feinstein Institute and Sweden's Karolinska Institutet
MANHASSET, N.Y., July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health announced that it has agreed to license the rights to breakthrough discoveries in treating inflammation, as well as specific antibodies and drug candidates, to Applied Immunotherapeutics, Inc., a new business venture developing innovative approaches to treat human disease. Included in the agreement are patent rights covering the use of antibody and small molecule therapeutics against HMGB1, an established target in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
The new therapies, based on work in Feinstein Institute laboratories led by Kevin J. Tracey, MD, Yousef Al-Abed, PhD, and Haichao Wang, PhD, working in collaboration with Ulf Andersson, MD, PhD, and Helena Harris, PhD, at the Karolinska Institutet, will be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, anemia of chronic disease and other acute and chronic diseases in which inflammation plays a critical role.
Autoimmune diseases adversely affect some 23 million Americans annually and are leading causes of death among women and children.
"A great deal of our work at the Feinstein Institute and with our colleagues at the Karolinska Institutet revolves around the role of inflammation in diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to cancer," said Dr. Tracey, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institute. "Mechanisms that control inflammation can treat the underlying illness. This agreement with Applied Immunotherapeutics advances the impact of our research by creating another bridge from the laboratory to the clinical setting to directly improve patients' health and well-being."
Ronald M. Burch, MD, PhD, CEO of Applied Immunotherapeutics, Inc. said: "There is a tremendous and growing need for these new therapies. Based on the remarkable work of the teams at the Feinstein Institute and the Karolinska Institutet, we have an excellent opportunity to advance new treatments to market to heal patients and save lives."
About the Feinstein Institute
The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in New York. Home to 50 research laboratories and to clinical research throughout dozens of hospitals and outpatient facilities, the Feinstein includes 4,000 researchers and staff who are making breakthroughs in molecular medicine, genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we empower imagination and pioneer discovery, visit FeinsteinInstitute.org
About the Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Its vision is to significantly contribute to the improvement of human health. Karolinska Institutet accounts for over 40% of the medical academic research conducted in Sweden and offers the country´s broadest range of education in medicine and health sciences. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet selects the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.
About Applied Immunotherapeutics
Applied Immunotherapeutics is a private, emerging pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The company's target is high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), a well-characterized proinflammatory cytokine whose dysregulation has been linked to multiple acute and chronic disease states.
Contact: Heather E. Ball
516-465-7917
[email protected]
SOURCE Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
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