The monoclonal antibody will also be developed to treat several other conditions including ASCVD-related dyslipidemias: hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia

800px-Eli_Lilly_Corporate_Center,_Indianapolis,_Indiana,_USA

Eli Lilly and Company’s corporate centre in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Credit: Momoneymoproblemz/Wikipedia)

UK-based clinical-stage biosciences firm Kyttaro has signed an agreement to get an exclusive global licence for Eli Lilly and Company’s anti-angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL) 3/8 monoclonal antibody programme to treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

The monoclonal antibody will also be developed to treat several other conditions including ASCVD-related dyslipidemias: hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia.

ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8, which are two genetically established targets for ASCVD, form the ANGPTL3/8 complex, an endogenous lipoprotein lipase (LPL) inhibitor.

The anti-ANGPTL3/8 antibodies, acquired by Kyttaro, have presented an increased affinity for the target and robust potential for the treatment of individuals who are at high-risk for ASCVD based on their ability to boost LPL activity and reduce triglycerides.

Kyttaro said that individuals with loss-of-function mutations in ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8 proteins are observed to be healthy and showed reduced triglyceride and LDL levels.

Also, such mutations present substantially reduced cardiovascular disease occurrence.

The data from epidemiological studies revealed that increased triglycerides are a key risk factor for cardiovascular events and severe hypertriglyceridemia is linked to a rare and possibly fatal condition called acute pancreatitis.

The financial details of the agreement were not revealed by the two firms.

Kyttaro founder and CEO Douglas Eby said: “Heart disease stubbornly ranks as the world’s leading cause of death and the Kyttaro team is resolute in its goal to change the paradigm in ASCVD.

“The anti-ANGPTL3/8 antibody programme positions our company brilliantly in an extremely large unmet medical zone, with the clear opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of millions of patients suffering from disease.”

ImmunoGen, a developer of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics, has signed a global licensing deal worth up to $1.7bn with Lilly.