Splitting the essential difference for asthma

A good target for inflammatory disease occurs early in the cascade but is selective enough not to interfere with functions that maintain homeostasis. Last week, Abgenix Inc. partnered with Sosei Co. Ltd. to obtain access to a target that the companies believe could provide the right degree of selectivity for treating asthma. They also said the target is broadly applicable to other allergic conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases and dermatitis.

Bruce Keyt, vice president of preclinical research at ABGX (Fremont, Calif.), told BioCentury that chemoattractant receptor-homolog on Th2 cells (CRTH2) is a G protein-coupled receptor that binds prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), a known inflammatory regulator. Under the deal with Sosei - which has exclusive therapeutic rights to the target from diagnostics company BioMedical Laboratories Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) - ABGX will raise human monoclonal antibodies against CRTH2. ABGX will manufacture the antibodies and commercialize them in the U.S. Sosei will commercialize products in Japan, and the two will share profits equally...