MUSC and BMS Announce Translational Research Collaboration Focused on Fibrotic Diseases

The Medical University of South Carolina and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) have entered into a translational research collaboration focused on fibrotic diseases, including scleroderma, renal fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The agreement includes studies designed to improve the mechanistic understanding of fibrosis, explore patient segmentation based on disease characteristics and/or biomarker approaches and predictors of disease progression.

“BMS’s collaboration with MUSC further strengthens and advances our Discovery research efforts in fibrotic diseases, a strategic area of focus for the company,” said Carl Decicco, Head of Discovery, R&D, BMS. “MUSC brings substantial expertise in translational research and drug discovery related to fibrotic diseases including access to patient derived disease tissue samples that will help us accelerate the application of scientific knowledge to potential new treatment approaches for patients.”

“This is an exciting opportunity with the potential to make a significant impact in fibrotic diseases and in patients’ lives with these debilitating diseases,” said Karen Lackey, MUSC Center for Therapeutic Discovery and Development executive director and pharmacy associate professor. “Our goal with translational research is to shorten the timeline in getting patients the medications and treatments they need. We have unparalleled expertise in fibrosis research at MUSC, and this collaboration with a leader like Bristol-Myers Squibb in discovery and development of medications is going to take that foundational work to the next level.”

BMS and MUSC are committed to addressing the unmet need in fibrotic diseases that are characterized by the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue, by identifying novel medicines to halt or slow disease progression. Among the assets in BMS’s fibrosis portfolio are BMS-986020, a lysophosphatidic acid 1 (LPA1) receptor antagonist in Phase II development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and a CCR2/5 dual antagonist in Phase II development for diabetic kidney disease.

In addition, in November 2014, BMS and Galecto Biotech announced an agreement that provides BMS the exclusive option to acquire Galecto Biotech and gain worldwide rights to its lead asset TD139, a novel inhaled inhibitor of galectin-3 in Phase I development for the treatment of IPF and other pulmonary fibrotic conditions. BMS and the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr) also announced a worldwide research collaboration in January 2015 to develop novel small molecule anti-fibrotic therapies, and an exclusive license agreement that allows BMS to develop, manufacture and commercialize Calibr’s preclinical compounds resulting from the collaboration.