Maxygen and Astellas Pharma partner in autoimmune drug research

Under the agreement, the companies will co-develop Maxy-4 candidates for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases and Astellas will exclusively develop Maxy-4 candidates for transplant rejection.

In addition, Maxygen has an option to co-promote any autoimmune therapeutic products developed under this alliance in North America. Regardless of indication, Astellas will manufacture the finished product using active drug substances provided by Maxygen and will market and sell such products globally.

As consideration, Maxygen will receive a $10 million initial payment and is eligible to receive up to an additional $160 million in pre-launch milestone payments. Maxygen is also eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalties on all sales. If Maxygen exercises its option to co-promote, revenues from any such therapeutic product will be subject to a profit-sharing arrangement between the parties instead of royalty payment.

In addition to the $10 million up-front payment, Astellas will pay for the first $10 million of certain preclinical costs related to development of MAXY-4 candidates, after which the companies will share preclinical and development costs of MAXY-4 candidates for autoimmune disease indications in North America and European countries. Astellas will be responsible for development costs for autoimmune disease indications in the rest of the world and for transplant rejection indication worldwide.

Maxy-4 is Maxygen’s preclinical program to create a next-generation CTLA4-Ig protein for rheumatoid arthritis, transplant rejection and other autoimmune indications.

Russell Howard, CEO of Maxygen, said: “Astellas is an excellent partner to help us develop and commercialize this program. Their experience with immunology therapeutics, particularly their development expertise in the field of transplantation and successful commercialization of Prograf, will complement our expertise in protein pharmaceutical discovery and development.”