– Agreement extends one of the world’s most enduring alliances for drug discovery
– Landmark discoveries from partnership have led to novel drug candidates, including an immunotherapy for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis currently in Phase III clinical trials
– New focus on cell and gene therapies to accelerate novel treatments for patients with unmet medical needs
LA JOLLA, CA and PRINCETON, NJ – A 35-year academic-industry partnership that has produced groundbreaking discoveries in immunology and supported first-in-class therapies for rare disease patients has entered its 36th year with the signing of a three-year research funding agreement between La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), an independent nonprofit research organization in California, and Kyowa Kirin, Inc., the wholly-owned North American subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151), a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company.
The three-year agreement marks the latest milestone in one of the world’s most enduring and prolific industry-academic collaborations, conceived in 1988 by a Japanese immunologist and funded by then Kirin Brewery’s emerging pharmaceutical business to advance scientific exploration and immunologic research.
Today, LJI ranks among the world’s top five immunology institutions, whose renowned faculty have transformed basic understanding of human immunity and paved the way for important clinical advances. Simultaneously, Kyowa Kirin has evolved into a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company that develops novel therapies for patients with rare and debilitating diseases. The company markets three therapies in North America and more than 50 products worldwide in hematology-oncology, rare bone disease, and other therapeutic areas.
Together, the two organizations have created a unique alliance that blends the academic prowess of LJI with the drug development and commercialization expertise of Kyowa Kirin. Working side by side under one roof, scientists from LJI and Kyowa Kirin’s La Jolla laboratories partner on joint research programs while also pursuing independent projects that accelerate the mutual interests of science and patient health. To date, the partnership has included more than 200 sponsored or collaborative research projects, with several LJI discoveries and proposals elected for further development in Kyowa Kirin’s robust drug discovery pipeline, as well as top-tier journal publications authored by LJI faculty.
LJI scientists have made pioneering discoveries that harness the immune system against cancer, reveal key differences between the immune systems of men and women, and provide new opportunities to protect against emerging and infectious diseases.
“The unique and vibrant culture we’ve established over the past 35 years, coupled with the continuous research funding from Kyowa Kirin, has enabled our teams to make pioneering scientific contributions that have dramatically increased our understanding of human immunology,” said LJI Professor, President & CEO Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA. “Further, our proximity and open access to one another’s respective scientific expertise, technical capabilities, and LJI’s core facilities have fueled the identification and validation of target molecules as well as numerous candidate compounds adding life-changing value to the research we do.”
Kyowa Kirin’s research team has advanced several of these compounds into clinical trials for a range of conditions, including ulcerative colitis, acute respiratory distress, atopic dermatitis, with preliminary data anticipated in 2025.
“We’re excited about our future with LJI and the opportunities it affords to shape a healthier future for patients with unmet medical needs,” said Yoshifumi Torii, Ph.D., Executive Officer, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Research at Kyowa Kirin. “Pairing the best basic scientists and translational medicine researchers at the table from the beginning creates a more entrepreneurial way of thinking about drug discovery and development that promotes innovation and accelerates timelines on behalf of patients.”
The renewed research agreement provides LJI with multiple types of support, including research funding, faculty hiring support, and project-specific research funds relating to Kyowa Kirin’s therapeutic scope. Joint research will prioritize cell and gene therapies designed to treat diseases with limited or no treatment options. This focus aligns with Kyowa Kirin’s commitment to addressing some of the world’s most challenging and unmet medical needs.
About Kyowa Kirin
Kyowa Kirin aims to discover novel medicines and treatments with life-changing value. As a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company, we have invested in drug discovery and biotechnology innovation for more than 70 years. We are currently working to engineer the next generation of antibodies and cell and gene therapies with the potential to help patients with high unmet medical needs, including rare bone & mineral disorders, intractable hematologic diseases, and other hematologic/oncologic diseases. A shared commitment to our values, to sustainable growth, and to making people smile unites us across the globe. You can learn more at www.kyowakirin.com.
