Ferring Pharmaceuticals and IMAB have signed a license agreement granting IMAB exclusive rights to olamkicept (pINN) in Asia. Olamkicept is a Phase II ready recombinant protein inhibitor of the interleukin-6 pathway, which is associated with inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis.

IMAB will fund further product development in exchange for an exclusive license in Asia with an option for worldwide use, with the goal of realizing the potential of olamkicept as a biomarker-guided and differentiated interleukin-6 blocker to treat autoimmune disease.

“We are very pleased to acquire the opportunity to further advance olamkicept and build on Ferring’s encouraging Phase 1 results in volunteers and in patients,” said Jingwu Zang, president and chief executive officer of IMAB. “This agreement will accelerate IMAB’s mission to develop impactful therapies for autoimmune disease.”

“IMAB has a strong network of researchers and physicians in the autoimmune area in China and a willingness to develop our drug further in Asia and around the world,” said Alan Harris, senior Vice President, R&D, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. “We are pleased to partner with IMAB in progressing our drug in this important therapeutic area with many unmet medical needs.”