Immunomic Therapeutics has entered an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Japan-based Astellas Pharma for the LAMP-vax products to treat or prevent all allergic diseases.

LAMP-vax is a new DNA vaccine that helps in stimulating an immune response against a particular protein, injecting the DNA encoding the protein rather than the protein itself.

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Compared with conventional DNA vaccines, the LAMP-vax includes a short DNA sequence encoding the Lysosomal Associated Membrane Protein (LAMP), which allows DNA vaccines developed on the LAMP-vax platform to use the body’s natural biochemistry to develop a more complete immune response compared with conventional DNA vaccines.

Developed by Immunomic, the LAMP-vax technology improves the effectiveness of DNA vaccines and has the ability to make vaccines work, which potentially provides effective vaccinations for a wide spectrum of diseases.

"We focus on immunology as one of the prioritised disease areas for our research and are exploring targets for new drug discoveries that involve several immune disorders, with the aim of developing a causal treatment."

In January, the two firms have entered an exclusive licence agreement for Japan to develop and commercialise ASP4070 (previously known as JRC2-LAMP-vax) to treat allergies induced by Japanese red cedar pollen.

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As part of the previous deal, Astellas initiated a Phase I trial of ASP4070 in Japan this year.

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According to the companies, this initial agreement remains in effect irrespective of the new deal.

Astellas currently has exclusive worldwide rights to research, develop, manufacture and commercialise any potential LAMP-vax products.

The products are designed to treat or prevent human allergic diseases, including ARA-LAMP-vax for the treatment or prevention of peanut allergy and other research-stage programmes for food or environmental intolerances.

Immunomic Therapeutics CEO Dr William Hearl said: "We are excited that Astellas recognised the potential of LAMP-vax technology to usher in a new era in vaccination against common and serious allergies and are thrilled to be partnering with them again.

"With this new partnership, Astellas can explore the LAMP-vax platform for allergic disease, while we continue applications in other areas, like cancer immunotherapy."

Following closing of the new deal, Immunomic will receive an upfront payment of $300m and be entitled to receive 10% royalties of net sales of the potential products.

Astellas senior vice-president and chief strategy officer Kenji Yasukawa said: "Astellas sets a strategic goal to advance new opportunities as part of our strategic plan 2015-2017, and we are actively investing in new therapeutic areas and new technologies/new modalities, in particular, regenerative medicine and next generation vaccines.

"We focus on immunology as one of the prioritised disease areas for our research and are exploring targets for new drug discoveries that involve several immune disorders, with the aim of developing a causal treatment for immune disorders."