Chugai And GSK Sign Collaboration Agreement For Anti-Dengue Virus Antibody AID351
- Collaboration agreement signed to develop a new antibody drug for dengue fever, one of the neglected tropical diseases prevalent in developing countries
- Chugai and GSK aim to explore opportunities to provide a new treatment through their collaboration
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced today that it signed a collaboration agreement with GSK's Global Health Unit (hereafter, GSK GH) for the development of an anti-dengue virus antibody. Under this agreement, GSK GH will perform activities and evaluate potential funding for the initiation of clinical studies of AID351.
The anti-dengue virus antibody joint development project to overcome dengue fever, one of the "Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)" as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), has been advancing through collaboration between Chugai Pharmabody Research (CPR), Chugai Pharmaceutical's research base in Singapore, and A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network (A*STAR SIgN), with an antibody derived from A*STAR SIgN and the National University of Singapore (NUS) as the lead. During this period, the project has received grant funding twice from the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund.
“GSK Global Health’s goal is to change the trajectory of high burden infectious diseases in lower income countries. Dengue disease is one of the neglected tropical diseases, for which there is a gap in treatment. It exists in countries with tropical or subtropical conditions with vector-favorable climate conditions and poverty impeding access to efficient health care coverage. Our ambition is to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together,” said GSK Chief Global Health Officer Dr. Thomas Breuer.
“Our mission is to dedicate ourselves to adding value by creating and delivering innovative products and services for the medical community and human health around the world, and we are implementing initiatives to contribute to global health. Through this collaboration with GSK GH, we aim to accelerate the development of a treatment for dengue fever, one of the neglected tropical diseases, and bring hope to patients suffering worldwide. We hope to make significant progress towards realizing innovative treatment to address this serious social issue,” said Chugai’s President and CEO Dr. Osamu Okuda.
Aiming to be a global role model, Chugai will continue to develop global health activities that contribute to resolving social issues.
Note
Chugai - A*STAR Joint Development Project for Anti-Dengue Virus Antibody Continuously Selected as Grant Recipient by GHIT Fund
Press release issued on March 29, 2019
https://www.chugai-pharm.co.jp/english/news/detail/20190329150000_607.html
Chugai - A*STAR Joint Development Project for Anti-Dengue Virus Antibody Selected as Grant Recipient by the GHIT Fund
Press release issued on March 30, 2017
https://www.chugai-pharm.co.jp/english/news/detail/20170330090100_91.html
About Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is a mosquito transmitted febrile disease that is rapidly spreading in tropical and subtropical urbanized regions. In severe cases, it progresses to the serious and lethal dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. This disease is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in many countries in Asia and Latin America. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 390 million people globally are infected with the dengue virus each year, and although an estimated 500,000 of these cases become severe and require hospitalization, there is currently no effective drug for the treatment of dengue fever.
About AID351
Dengue virus, which causes dengue fever, is known to have four different serotypes. A*STAR SIgN and NUS have discovered a new human antibody that shows high neutralizing activity against all these dengue virus serotypes. AID351 is an antibody drug that was developed through drug discovery where CPR undertook the optimization of the antibody by applying Chugai's proprietary antibody engineering technologies.
Source: Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd