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Japan's Ono exercises option to develop Merus' antibody for autoimmune diseases

Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. exercised its option to enter into a new collaboration with Merus NV for the development of an antibody to treat autoimmune diseases.

An autoimmune disease is a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body.

Under the new research and license deal, Merus will use its Biclonics technology to develop a bispecific antibody, or an artificial protein, that targets autoimmune diseases. Biclonics are bispecific, full-length human immunoglobulin G antibodies.

Ono will have exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the products generated under the agreement.

Ono will pay Merus an undisclosed up-front payment to fund the new program. Merus will also receive milestone payments once specified research and clinical development milestones are reached, along with mid-single-digit royalty on net sales of the commercialized products.

The two companies originally entered into a partnership deal to co-develop bispecific antibody treatments for autoimmune diseases in April 2014.

"We are glad to expand our collaboration and look forward to realizing the next generation of high value treatments in autoimmune disease area," Ono's corporate officer and executive director of discovery and research, Hiromu Habashita, said in a statement.