Implicit Licenses Clinical Stage Antibody Program From Lilly

Implicit Bioscience Ltd (Brisbane, Australia) has acquired the clinical-stage monoclonal antibody IC14 from Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, Indiana). Implicit has paid an undisclosed consideration combining cash and stock to Lilly. Lilly will also receive a royalty on future IC14 sales.

Implicit intends to initiate Phase 2 clinical development in acute lung injury (ALI) during 2009. IC14 was originally being developed for severe sepsis at Icos Corporation, which was acquired by Lilly in 2007.

IC14 is a clinical stage recombinant chimeric monoclonal antibody that recognizes and blocks the function of human CD14, an essential component of the innate inflammatory response to bacterial infection. CD14 triggers activation of the innate immune response to bacterial components, including lipopolysaccharide, through the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway. Lung inflammation in response to innate immune activation through the TLR pathway is a primary factor in the early pathogenesis of ALI.