Izana Bioscience has launched as a new clinical-stage translational medicine company. Izana is initially focused on the development of namilumab (IZN-101) in ankylosing spondylitis, and has entered into an exclusive worldwide licence agreement with Takeda for the right to develop, manufacture and commercialize the product in all indications. As part of the license agreement, Takeda has taken a strategic equity stake in Izana.
Izana is backed by a team of pharmaceutical entrepreneurs, led by Bryan Morton CBE. The company has also been awarded a grant of £1.35 million by the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK, to support a phase II proof-of-concept study in ankylosing spondylitis, a debilitating arthritic disease of the spine that is estimated to affect over four million people in major markets worldwide.
"The launch of Izana is truly exciting, both for the company and the wider UK life sciences sector, as we build a new UK-based translational medicine business focused on bringing innovative science to market. We are delighted that the novelty of our approach has already been recognized by Innovate UK, and Takeda has trusted us to progress this promising antibody, initially in the greatly underserved indication of ankylosing spondylitis,” Bryan Morton, Chairman of Izana, said. “Working with world-leading experts at Oxford University Hospitals, we look forward to moving our lead product into phase II testing in the near future, as we work to translate world-class science into a world-leading business."
Namilumab is a human monoclonal antibody targeting granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The antibody has demonstrated efficacy in a phase II proof of concept trial conducted in over 100 rheumatoid arthritis patients, and has been well tolerated in previous clinical studies.