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news.Merck subsidiary EMD Serono Research and Development Institute has entered into a collaborative research agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Lupus Nephritis (LN) pathogenesis.
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Both SLE and LN represent an area of high unmet medical need, where new therapies are essential.
SLE is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system produces proteins called autoantibodies that attack patients’ own tissues and organs.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, about 1.5 people in the US have SLE and about 60% of SLE patients develop inflammation in the kidneys called Lupus Nephritis, which if uncontrolled can lead to kidney failure.
Under the deal, EMD Serono Immunology scientists and MGH investigators will jointly work to better characterize and validate the expression of investigative therapeutic targets, pathogenic immune cell types and biomarkers in SLE and LN patients.
EMD Serono R&D Institute Immunology & Neurology senior vice-president Harsukh Parmar said: "In collaboration with world-renowned academic centers such as MGH, we are well-positioned to advance the highest-quality science into the clinic for the benefit of patients in need."
The deal will see MGH investigators collect biospecimens to be used in several translational research applications, including compound testing and gene expression analysis of target molecules.
MGH chief of the Division of Nephrology Ravi Thadhani said: "The Division of Nephrology at MGH is deeply committed to bringing novel therapies to patients who suffer from kidney disease, and this complementary collaboration with EMD Serono brings us closer to helping patients with lupus nephritis."