By Fineline Cube Swiss pharmaceutical company Ferring Pharmaceuticals has announced a strategic collaboration with China’s I-Mab Inc. (NASDAQ: IMAB) to further develop olamkicept, an interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor targeting inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory conditions. Originally discovered by Ferring, olamkicept was licensed to I-Mab in 2016 for development and commercialization in Asia, with I-Mab funding local development and holding an option for global rights expansion.
New Collaboration Details
The new agreement enables Ferring to invest in olamkicept’s global development. I-Mab has been granted an option to collaborate with Ferring on future development of the molecule once a pre-defined development milestone is achieved, though specific details of the milestone have not been disclosed.
Olamkicept’s Unique Mechanism
Olamkicept is highlighted as the first and only clinical-stage selective IL-6 inhibitor that works through the trans-signaling mechanism. This approach is expected to offer a more selective effect on IL-6-driven inflammation compared to existing IL-6 or IL-6R blockers, which completely block IL-6 signaling and can lead to serious adverse events such as infections, gastrointestinal perforation, and metabolic disturbances.
Progress and Future Plans
In April 2021, I-Mab reported that olamkicept had successfully passed a ‘proof-of-concept’ Phase II trial as a treatment for ulcerative colitis. At that time, both companies signed a memorandum of understanding to explore expanding the drug’s development to global markets.-Fineline Info & Tech