Eli Lilly and ImmuNext Announce Strategic Collaboration to Develop Novel Immunometabolic Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) has learned that on March 26, Eli Lilly and Company, a global leading pharmaceutical company, and ImmuNext, a biotechnology company, announced a collaboration focused on advancing a novel preclinical program. This program aims to provide potential new therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases by modulating immune cell metabolism.

Under the terms of the agreement, ImmuNext will receive a $40 million upfront payment and is eligible for up to approximately $565 million in development and commercialization milestones, as well as tiered royalties ranging from low-single-digit to mid-single-digit percentages of product sales. In return, ImmuNext will grant Eli Lilly an exclusive global license to develop and commercialize novel immunometabolic targets. Additionally, Eli Lilly and ImmuNext will establish a three-year research collaboration to support the development of this program.

Eli Lilly and Company was founded by pharmacist Eli Lilly on May 10, 1876, and has a history spanning more than 130 years. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, the company employs over 40,000 people worldwide, including more than 7,400 dedicated to pharmaceutical research and development. Throughout its more than 140-year history, Eli Lilly has remained committed to providing innovative medicines and support services to meet the needs of patients and markets, establishing itself as a global leader in healthcare. The company conducts clinical trials in over 50 countries, operates R&D centers in 8 countries, maintains manufacturing facilities in 13 countries, and markets its products in 143 countries and regions.

ImmuNext, founded in 2012, primarily develops immunomodulators that treat cancer and autoimmune diseases by modulating the immune system. The company is engaged in biotechnology research and the experimental development of genetically modified products. ImmuNext’s compounds are at the forefront of immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The novel immunomodulators developed by the company have been pursued in collaborations with Janssen, Roche, and Sanofi.

Currently, ImmuNext is advancing its Anti-VISTA clinical-stage program. Anti-VISTA is a negative checkpoint modulator antagonist for cancer treatment. This project targets novel immunometabolic protein antibodies to develop a checkpoint modulator and preclinical programs.

Dr. Ajay Nirula, Vice President of Immunology at Eli Lilly and Company, stated, “Immunology is a key area of pharmaceutical research at Eli Lilly, where we seek novel targets to develop new therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases. Modulating the metabolism of immune cells represents a robust therapeutic approach for these conditions, and we have initiated a collaboration with ImmuNext to deliver potential new medicines for patients with autoimmune diseases.”

Jay Rothstein, Chief Scientific Officer of ImmuNext, stated, “We are pleased to partner with Eli Lilly and Company to launch a first-in-class antibody targeting lymphocyte metabolism, aiming to reprogram rather than suppress the immune system.”

(Compiled by: Li Chengping)