Ongoing collaborations with leading partners
CSL Limited
OpsonaTherapeutics Ltd has entered into a collaboration with the global specialty biopharmaceutical company CSL Limited. The collaboration covers the identification of novel vaccine adjuvant formulations, based on Opsona's proprietary technology OpsoVacTM which could target and treat infectious diseases and certain cancers.
Under the agreement Opsona will receive undisclosed upfront payments and will be eligible for additional milestones and royalty payments should CSL elect to pursue formulations that result from the collaboration (Read the Press Release).
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (A Division of Pfizer)
Opsona Therapeutics has entered into a collaboration with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for the discovery, development and commercialisation of compounds to treat inflammatory diseases, based on specific toll-like receptor (TLR) targets. Wyeth is a world leader in the development of new treatments for inflammation and neurological diseases.
This collaboration is a key milestone for Opsona and provides validation of the science around the TLRs. The collaboration will focus on certain TLR targets to discover new compounds for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Opsona has received an upfront payment and receive additional payments upon the achievement of discovery and development milestones, the first of which was successfully achieved and announced in 2008. Opsona will also receive R&D funding and royalties on potential product sales. Read latest Wyeth Press Release
Strategic Research Cluster
Opsona is undertaking a structured research programme with Organon (a division of Schering-Plough), Trinity College Dublin and National University of Ireland (Maynooth).
The aim of the programme, funded by Science Foundation Ireland and the industrial partners, is to discover and identify new targets and drugs to treat innate immune-mediated diseases.
The cluster consists of over 15 researchers based at Trinity College Dublin, who are undertaking ground-breaking medical research.
Both Opsona and Organon/Schering-Plough are working closely with the research cluster to share their resources and experience, and will each commercialise the outputs.
Immunath
Opsona is one of the industrial partners which constitute the ‘Immunath’ consortium. Immunath is a European Framework 6 funded programme (Jan 2006-Dec 2009) which consists of 5 academic partners ( Imperial College, London, UMC Utrecht, Eramus University, Rotterdam, Lund university and The Karolinska Institute, Stockholm) and two industrial partners (Bioinvent, Sweden and Opsona).
The aim of this research programme is the development of diagnostic and therapeutic applications for atherosclerosis and heart-disease. The therapeutic potential of Opsona compounds are currently being assessed in ex vivo and in vivo models of atherosclerosis and other coronary diseases.