Eli Lilly and Co. and Aduro Biotech, Inc. have entered a research collaboration and exclusive license agreement for Aduro’s cGAS-STING Pathway Inhibitor program for the development of novel immunotherapies for autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases.
 
Aduro’s cGAS-STING Pathway Inhibitor program aims to discover and develop inhibitors of the intracellular stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, which can modulate the immune response associated with various autoimmune diseases. As part of the agreement, Lilly will gain access to novel molecules from Aduro that are designed to inhibit the cGAS-STING pathway. The companies will collaborate to advance these molecules, as well as others from Lilly, into clinical development.

Aduro will receive $12 million upfront and will be eligible for development and commercial milestones of as much as $620 million per product, as well as royalty payments. Aduro will receive research funding during the research term and has the option to co-fund the clinical development of each product in exchange for an increase in royalty payments. Lilly will be responsible for all costs of global commercialization.  

“At Lilly, we continue to explore new areas of science and are committed to developing novel immunology treatments,” said Ajay Nirula, M.D., Ph.D., vice president of immunology research at Lilly. “We are pleased to collaborate with Aduro, and hope to utilize their expertise with the cGAS-STING pathway to identify promising pathway inhibitors that could one day become breakthrough medicines.”

“As we continue to strengthen our leadership in the STING pathway at Aduro, we are thrilled to collaborate with Lilly to identify and develop novel cGAS-STING pathway inhibitors,” said Stephen T. Isaacs, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Aduro. “This partnership represents an exceptional opportunity to leverage Lilly’s expertise in immunology while expanding the potential for our technology into therapeutic approaches for autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases.”