Amgen and Xencor to partner on autoimmune disease treatment

Amgen is to ally with Xencor to jointly develop a potentially promising new treatment for autoimmune diseases.

The new collaboration will see the firms work together on the clinical development of XmAb5871, an Fc-engineered monoclonal antibody dually targeting the CD19 and CD32b pathways that is currently in phase II testing.

Following the completion of this trial stage, Amgen will be given the option of an exclusive worldwide licence to the drug, which would see the company take full responsibility for its future development.

Amgen expressed confidence that the innovative therapy approach embodied by XmAb5871 will complement the firm's own efforts to combat inflammatory diseases.

Dr Joseph Miletich, senior vice-president for research and development at Amgen, said: "We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Xencor in exploring their novel immunomodulatory approach."

This comes after Amgen announced last month that it has extended its long-running drug research partnership with BioFocus for a further two years up to 2012.