Prognostic solutions developer PredictImmune has entered a framework agreement with Cambridge Enterprise for future expansion of its original intellectual property (IP) licence in a bid to boost its product range.
The current global licence is for technology associated with the prediction of disease outcome in the relapsing-remitting autoimmune and inflammatory disorder inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It also includes Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.
Under the new agreement, PredictImmune gains ‘first right of refusal’ to additional technology for the prediction of disease outcome in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a follow-on condition.
The company will be able to boost its product development pipeline and advance the new offering.
SLE is a form of lupus, which is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks a patient’s tissues. Lupus can be addressed with medical interventions and lifestyle changes but currently lacks a cure.
SLE, which can lead to inflammation and tissue damage in major organs, is known to have a variable disease course indicating the requirement for identification of high-risk patients in early stages.
PredictImmune CEO Paul Kinnon said: “The announcement today will allow us to expand our product portfolio to include SLE, which will enable the benefits of prognostic testing to be brought to millions of new patients in the future.
“Our aim is to support clinicians in providing a more personalised approach to the individual patient’s disease and we see this agreement as another very positive development towards that goal; giving clinicians the tools to gain a better understanding of each patient’s disease profile.”
The company’s portfolio includes PredictSURE IBD, a whole blood test designed to offer prognostic information to guide treatment decisions in inflammatory bowel disease.
In combination with an algorithm, the biomarker test will be able to distinguish between the aggressive and milder form of the disease.
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