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.

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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