Eisai Enters into Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration to Develop Novel Oral TLR7/8 Inhibitor E6742 for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Eisai
Pharmaceutical Product R&D and Manufacturer
Osaka University
A Japanese University
Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University, formerly known as Sapporo Agricultural College, is Japan’s oldest higher education institution. The university maintains two campuses in Sapporo and Hakodate, and comprises 12 undergraduate faculties, 18 graduate schools, three affiliated research institutes, three nationwide joint educational and research facilities, as well as numerous on-campus joint educational and research facilities. As a comprehensive research university centered on its graduate programs, Hokkaido University has the largest number of faculties and graduate schools among all universities in Japan. The university enrolls approximately 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students, employs around 4,000 faculty and staff members, and hosts more than 1,500 international students from nearly 100 countries and regions, including approximately 800 students from China. Hokkaido University was ranked 139th in the 2021 QS World University Rankings and 145th in the 2022 QS World University Rankings. It also placed 6th in the 2021 Times Higher Education Japan University Rankings.
Tohoku University
Tohoku University, abbreviated as Tohoku Dai, is located in Sendai City in the Tohoku region of Japan. It has been selected as a Type A top-tier university under Japan’s "Top Global University Project" and is part of the Global 30 Project. The university is a member of the Eight University Engineering Association, the Research University 11 (RU11), the Association of East Asian Research Universities, and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. It has evolved into a national research comprehensive university in Japan, encompassing disciplines in the humanities, sciences, engineering, medicine, and agriculture.The predecessor of Tohoku University was the former Imperial University—Tohoku Imperial University (established in 1907, originally named Sendai Medical College). Tohoku Imperial University traced its origins to "Meirin Yoken-do," the domain school of the Sendai Domain founded in 1736. Tohoku University was the third former Imperial University, established after Tokyo Imperial University and Kyoto Imperial University. In October 1947, Tohoku Imperial University was reorganized into Tohoku University, becoming the first university in Japan to admit female and international students.
TOKYO, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; CEO: Haruo Naito; hereinafter referred to as “Eisai”) recently announced that it has entered into an industry-academia-government joint research agreement with four universities regarding the project titled “Industrialization of Industry-Academia Collaborative Research on Japanese-Originated Toll-Like Receptors – An All-Japan System: Development of a New Drug for the Treatment of SLE.” This initiative is one of the research projects led by Eisai as a representative research organization. The joint research project has been selected by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) for its “Clinical Translational Research Cycle Innovation” (CiCLE) funding program. Through this industry-academia-government collaboration, Eisai aims to develop a Japanese-originated therapeutic agent for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using E6742, its proprietary novel oral Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 inhibitor.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a designated intractable autoimmune disease that causes disorders in various organs, including the skin and musculoskeletal system. In Japan, there are approximately 60,000 to 100,000 patients with SLE. Notably, SLE flares are more common in women in their 20s to 40s. Therefore, SLE represents a condition with significant unmet medical needs. Current treatment primarily relies on corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine, and immunosuppressants; however, there remains a need to develop novel, effective therapeutic agents with fewer side effects.
Recent studies have reported that the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family members TLR7/8 are involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), suggesting that SLE may be controlled through specific TLR7/8 inhibitors. E6742 exhibits selective and potent inhibitory activity against TLR7/8, holding promise as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of SLE.
In this project, Eisai will conduct the clinical development of E6742. Furthermore, Japan’s leading research institutions for TLR and SLE—the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan; Osaka University; Hokkaido University; and Tohoku University—along with Eisai’s research subsidiary, KAN Research Institute, will carry out academically driven clinical observational studies to elucidate the pathogenesis of SLE.
By driving innovation through academia-industry-government collaborations to address unmet medical needs, Eisai will prioritize the interests of patients and their families, contributing to the enhancement of their well-being.