GSK Licenses Interleukin-6 Antibody from EUSA

EUSA Pharma (Oxford, UK) has out-licensed the exclusive worldwide rights to its preclinical-stage human anti-interleukin-6 antibody to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, Middlesex, UK) for consideration of up to $44 million. As part of the agreement, EUSA will pay approximately 50% of the overall consideration to Vaccinex Inc. (Rochester, NY), its development partner for the antibody. GSK will fund and conduct all future development, production, and commercialization of the product.
Interleukin-6 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and B-cell growth factor and acts as a resistance factor to standard chemotherapy. EUSA’s product, OP-R003, is the first fully human anti-interleukin-6 antibody, with target indications in oncology and inflammatory diseases. OP-R003 is derived from a first generation murine antibody, elsilimomab, which has achieved promising clinical results as a lymphoma therapy.
As a fully human antibody, OP-R003 has the potential to offer improved tolerability and a superior safety profile.

EUSA Pharma release