epitoMAP Inc., Animal Allergy Clinical Laboratories Inc. and Nippon Zenyaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. Enter into License Agreement

epitoMAP Inc. (hereinafter "epitoMAP") and Animal Allergy Clinical Laboratories Inc. (hereinafter "AACL") entered into a License Agreement for an antibody pharmaceutical for veterinary use, CRE-DR-B, with Nippon Zenyaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "ZENOAQ") on November 10, 2023.

Logos:
epitoMAP: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202311132696-O3-B5f8qrzL
ZENOAQ: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202311132696-O5-QZ0646h5
AACL: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202311132696-O4-Hw5TKcKs

Photos:
https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107929/202311132696/_prw_PI1fl_CUg5pN38.jpg

https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107929/202311132696/_prw_PI2fl_2gLRsvyi.jpg

Under the terms of the Agreement, ZENOAQ will have the right to conduct preclinical and clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization of CRE-DR-B for use in allergic diseases such as canine atopic dermatitis in Japan. The main therapeutic effects of existing medicines on the market are to relieve the itching caused by allergies, whereas CRE-DR-B is able to prevent the production of IgE by eliminating its producing cells.

epitoMAP and AACL will utilize the upfront payment, milestone payment and royalties (the amount and other details are undisclosed) for the continuous development of CRE-DR-B overseas, humanized CRE-DR, and a pan-coronavirus therapeutic vaccine against future emerging variants of COVID-19 as well as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) caused by a pathogenic coronavirus in cats, FIPV, aiming at their early commercialization. "This Agreement will accelerate our collaboration with human and animal pharmaceutical companies to develop these subsequent pipelines," said Kenichi Masuda, CEO of epitoMAP.

About CRE-DR-B
CRE-DR-B is a chimeric mouse x dog IgG-B antibody originated from CRE-DR, a unique mouse monoclonal antibody that binds to both human and canine IgEs*. Since CRE-DR lacks binding to IgE on mast cells, the risk of anaphylactic shock as a major concern with anti-IgE antibody drugs can be avoided in the use of its antibody drugs. CRE-DR is able to remove the fundamental cause of allergy by eliminating and inactivating IgE-producing B cells. epitoMAP and AACL have so far succeeded in generating a caninized (CRE-DR-B) and a humanized antibody (CRE-DR-H). The commercialization of CRE-DR-B will demonstrate PoC, which can accelerate the development of CRE-DR-H.
*Publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/iid3.531

About Companies
epitoMAP is a "One Health" drug discovery venture established in July 2020, developing allergy therapeutics and vaccines that work for both humans and animals.
http://www.epitomap.co.jp/en

ZENOAQ is a leading company in the field of veterinary pharmaceuticals in Japan.
https://www.zenoaq.com/en/

AACL provides allergy and immunology testing services for dogs and cats to veterinary clinics.
http://www.aacl.co.jp/en_company/index.html

Source: epitoMAP Inc.