Under the terms of the agreement, BioFocus will expand its SilenceSelect si-RNA-based gene collection with an additional gene set, develop a dedicated cellular assay in the field of autoimmune disease, and use this assay to run a target discovery screen.
Galapagos will receive upfront fees and R&D funding and may receive milestone fees when certain drug discovery criteria are met. Should all criteria on a target be achieved, total potential contract value for Galapagos may exceed E2 million.
Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. Today there are more than 40 known human diseases classified as either definite or probable autoimmune diseases, affecting 5-7% of the population.
Almost all autoimmune diseases appear without warning or apparent cause and most patients suffer from fatigue.
“We are delighted to be Boehringer Ingelheim’s partner in this disease discovery program,” said Onno van de Stolpe, CEO of Galapagos. “In this new collaboration, Galapagos is committed to delivering novel drug targets as the basis for developing novel therapies for unmet medical needs in autoimmune disease.”