Genaera extends alliance IL-9 alliance.

2004 APR 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genaera Corp. (GENR) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) announced a 2-year extension of a collaborative agreement on the joint discovery and development of novel genes and proteins as pharmaceutical targets and therapeutics, including further research related to interleukin-9 (IL-9).

"The goal of this collaboration is to provide new therapeutic products for asthma, cancer, and other diseases, based on our combined efforts in genomics and biological research," said Roy C. Levitt, MD, Genaera's president and CEO. "We are extremely pleased to further our alliance with the world class investigators at the Ludwig Institute who originally identified IL-9 and its receptor. Their expertise in the area of biological discovery and developing new therapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies, adds further depth to our product development programs."

Genaera has developed IL-9 and IL-9 receptor intellectual property and exclusively in-licensed certain other related intellectual property from LICR including the original patents to IL-9 and its receptor. Studies by Genaera scientists identified a role for IL-9 and its receptor in the pathogenesis of asthma and potentially other respiratory disorders including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis. Biopsies from asthmatic patients have shown an increase in expression of IL-9 as compared to healthy individuals.

Published findings, highlighting the central role of IL-9 in asthma, demonstrate its contribution to certain clinical features including bronchial hyperresponsiveness, IgE, mucus overproduction, and eosinophil up-regulation in animal models and in patients. Genaera believes that a neutralizing antibody to IL-9 provides a novel approach to prophylaxis or treatment for ...