Eli Lilly and Company and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have announced that they will collaborate to discover and develop immunological therapies. Lilly and Sanford-Burnham, a non-profit medical research institute, will investigate potential therapeutics using biotechnology approaches in targeting multiple immune checkpoint modulators for the treatment of immunological diseases such as lupus, Sjögren’s Syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune disorders.

Lilly brings its biotechnology capabilities and expertise in immunology, and Sanford-Burnham’s has expertise in understanding the fundamental cellular pathways regulating the immune system focusing on the immune checkpoint networks. The research collaboration will be co-chaired by Thomas F. Bumol, PhD, senior vice president, biotechnology and immunology research at Lilly, and Carl Ware, PhD, director, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center at Sanford-Burnham.

Lilly has established its presence in immunology in recent years through its own R&D and collaborations, with seven molecules currently in the pipeline for conditions such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease. Sanford-Burnham’s work in this area focuses on cell communication pathways that control the development of lymphocytes, innate and adaptive immune responses, and inflammation. Their work has led to the discovery of molecular targets for the development of treatments for immunological and inflammatory diseases, and cancer.

Source: Eli Lilly and Company