CORIXA/BEAUFOUR IPSEN TO DEVELOP ANERGIX.MG TECHNOLOGY.Corixa Corporation (Nasdaq: CRXA), Seattle, a developer of immunotherapeutics, and Beaufour Ipsen Group, a European global pharmaceutical company, have signed a license, development and commercialization agreement for Corixa's AnergiX.MG(TM) technology for the treatment of myasthenia gravis myasthenia gravis (mīəsthē`nēə grä`vĭs), chronic disorder of the muscles characterized by weakness and a tendency to tire easily. , a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal muscles Skeletal muscles Muscles that move the skeleton. All of the muscles under voluntary control are skeletal muscles. Mentioned in: Creatine Kinase Test of the body. Under the terms of the agreement, Corixa will provide Beaufour Ipsen with exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market its AnergiX.MG technology for the treatment of myasthenia gravis. Beaufour Ipsen will manage product development, including clinical trials and regulatory submissions. Beaufour Ipsen will pay Corixa an up-front license fee, guaranteed research support, success-based milestone payments and royalties in the event of Beaufour Ipsen product sales. The collaboration will be overseen by a joint steering committee made up of representatives from both companies. Further details of the agreement were not disclosed by either party. "Our agreement with Beaufour Ipsen demonstrates the continued value of the AnergiX technology originally obtained in the Anergen acquisition and further extends the therapy potential of Corixa technology," stated Steven Gillis, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Corixa. "We hope that our collaboration with Beaufour Ipsen will provide a much needed treatment for those suffering from this debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction neuromuscular disorder." "We are excited to be working with Corixa to develop the AnergiX.MG technology which will further expand our dedication to the treatment of neuromuscular diseases," said Jacques-Pierre Moreau, group vice president, Research & Development of Beaufour Ipsen. "We share in Corixa's commitment to discovering and developing innovative technologies and look forward to the possibility of developing a novel treatment for myasthenia gravis patients." About Myasthenia Gravis Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. Myasthenia gravis is caused by a defect in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles. It occurs when normal communication between the nerve and muscle is interrupted at the neuromuscular junction Neuromuscular junction The site at which nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles. Mentioned in: Botulinum Toxin Injections, Myasthenia Gravis neuromuscular junction - the place where nerve cells connect with the muscles they control. Normally when impulses travel down the nerve, the nerve endings release a neurotransmitter substance called acetylcholine acetylcholine (əsēt'əlkō`lēn), a small organic molecule liberated at nerve endings as a neurotransmitter. It is particularly important in the stimulation of muscle tissue. . Acetylcholine travels through the neuromuscular junction and binds to acetylcholine receptors that are activated and generate a muscle contraction. In myasthenia gravis, antibodies block, alter, or destroy the receptors for acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction that prevents the muscle contraction from occurring. About Corixa Corixa is a developer of immunotherapeutics with a commitment to treating and preventing autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases A group of diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, in which immune cells turn on the body, attacking various tissues and organs. Mentioned in: Complement Deficiencies, Premature Menopause , cancer and infectious diseases by understanding and directing the immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. . Corixa is focused on immunotherapeutic products and has a broad technology platform enabling both fully integrated vaccine design and the use of its separate, proprietary product components on a stand-alone basis. Corixa currently has 16 programs in clinical development and 22 programs in preclinical development, including its most advanced product candidate, Bexxar(R), a monoclonal antibody monoclonal antibody, an antibody that is mass produced in the laboratory from a single clone and that recognizes only one antigen. Monoclonal antibodies are typically made by fusing a normally short-lived, antibody-producing B cell (see immunity) to a fast-growing conjugated conjugated adj. Conjugate. estrogens, conjugated Warning - Hazardous drug! C.E.S. to a radioisotope radioisotope: see radioactive isotope. Radioisotope (biology) A radioactive isotope used in studying living systems, such as in the investigation of metabolic processes. . The company partners with numerous developers and marketers of pharmaceuticals, targeting products that are Powered by Corixa(TM) technology with the goal of making its potential products available to patients around the world. Corixa was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with additional operations in Hamilton, Montana and South San Francisco, California South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 60,552 at the 2000 census. . About Beaufour Ipsen Beaufour Ipsen is an independent European ethical pharmaceutical company which, aside from a traditional line of natural products (Gingko Biloba extracts and clays), has successfully developed and commercialized a range of specialist and biotech-derived pharmaceuticals. Beaufour Ipsen is a leader in the development and production of controlled release formulation for therapeutic peptides used in the treatment of hormone responsive illnesses. Beaufour Ipsen markets Dysport, a brand of Botulinum toxin prescribed for the treatment of motor disorders and muscle spasticity spasticity /spas·tic·i·ty/ (spas-tis´i-te) the state of being spastic; see spastic (2). spas·tic·i·ty n. 1. A spastic state or condition. 2. Spastic paralysis. . The company has sales in 80 countries. For more information, visit http://www.corixa.com or call 877.4CORIXA or 877/426-7492 or 206.754.5716. |
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