After acquiring Shire, Takeda came into possession of a large plasma-based business, which it has subsequently sought to expand further.
In another such sign, the company agreed a global licensing deal with ProThera Biologics for the development of a plasma-derived inter-alpha inhibitor protein therapy (IAIP).
This type of therapy will be explored to treat acute inflammatory conditions, with ProThera’s stating that early research on IAIP shows that the proteins have a role in controlling inflammation.
In terms of how this is achieved, ProThera believes this happens through multiple mechanisms but that, during acute illness, levels of these proteins decline rapidly. The company notes that ‘replenishing’ these proteins could exert anti-inflammatory effects.
Beyond developing the therapies, the two companies will also work to create a companion diagnostic to offer personalized patient treatment.
The development of IAIP therapies will be funded entirely by Takeda, with the exact financial terms of the agreement not revealed by the companies.
The latest deal is one of a number of smaller deals that Takeda has completed since the turn of the year to bolster its pipeline of therapies, including those in gene therapy and exome-based therapies, among others.