August 2, 2024
Option Agreement for drug discovery of extracellular vesicles derived from airway epithelial cells
EVerMed Inc. and KYORIN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Yutaka Ogihara, hereafter “KYORIN”) today announced that they have entered into an option agreement for drug discovery of extracellular vesicles derived from airway epithelial cells.
KYORIN secure the option to acquire the license for the development and commercialization of EM-001, which is one of drug seeds/pipeline held by EVerMed and is planned of Phase 1 study by EVerMed and the Jikei University School of Medicine.
Under the terms of the option agreement, EVerMed will receive an upfront payment from KYORIN. If KYORIN exercises its option, EVerMed will additionally receive milestone payments depending on the progress in the development of EM-001, as well as sales royalties depending on the sales of EM-001 after its launch.
EM-001 is extracellular vesicle derived from airway epithelial cells and expected to function in suppression of cell aging and fibrosis, and in normalization of traits, by transport of enclosing complex. The therapeutic effect of EM-001 has been confirmed in model animals, which gives rise to an expectation that EM-001 will be a good candidate for the treatment of respiratory diseases.
About drug discovery of Extracellular vesicles (EVs)
EVs, including exosomes secreted from cells, is being development in the world as novel modality. Exosome derived from airway epithelial cells is expected to suppress the progression of IPF, based on research results in the Jikei University School of Medicine
*Press release: August 2, 2021, The Jikei University