Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) (Sobi), an international speciality healthcare company, announced that it has exercised its option to sign a licensing agreement with Swedish biotech company Affibody AB for the development of novel treatments for inflammatory diseases where interleukin-1 (IL-1) is involved.
In 2012, Sobi signed a research collaboration agreement with Affibody, with an option to enter into exclusive licensing arrangements within IL-1. The research, which has been based on Affibody's proprietary technology, focuses on key proteins involved in the regulation of human immune and inflammatory processes.
An increasing body of evidence suggests that IL-1 is a key mediator of inflammation and driver of auto-inflammatory diseases in both adults and children. This offers a good strategic fit with Sobi's commercial focus on Inflammation as one of three key therapeutic areas, and with Sobi's strategic biologics development competence and capabilities.
