Companies to extend collaboration on DACRAs with an additional collaboration molecule and investigation of the DACRA platform within multiple indications

LUGANO, Switzerland, Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KeyBioscience and Eli Lilly and Company have agreed to extend their collaboration on the development of Dual Amylin Calcitonin Receptor Agonists (DACRA), a new class of potential treatments for obesity and related disorders.

This collaboration extends Lilly's rights to KeyBioscience's DACRA platform, including a new molecule that is anticipated to enter a Phase 2 study in people with obesity and osteoarthritis (OA) later this year. KeyBioscience will conduct and complete this study which is planning to enroll 600 people and have dual primary endpoints on body weight and alleviation of OA pain.

Under the terms of the extended agreement, Lilly will receive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize DACRA molecules. In exchange for these rights, KeyBioscience will receive an initial payment; downstream consideration totaling up to USD 1.4B, subject to the achievement of certain development, regulatory, and commercialization milestones; and tiered mid-single digits to low double-digits royalties on net sales.

"DACRAs have been shown to be potent weight loss agents with potential for additional insulin sensitization. We are extremely excited to move forward with the clinical program, as this class in other Phase 2 trials has shown significant weight loss in people with obesity and clinically meaningful improvement of glycaemic control," said Morten Karsdal, CEO of the parent company of KeyBioscience. "We believe this is a very competitive molecule with very high potency and low immunogenicity risk and look forward to collaborating further with Lilly to advance this important work."

Ruth Gimeno, Group Vice President, Diabetes, Obesity & Cardiometabolic Research at Lilly commented; "Dual amylin-calcitonin receptor agonists are an emerging new class of obesity therapies with potential benefits in additional indications. We welcome the expanded collaboration with KeyBioscience and are excited to explore the potential of Key's DACRA molecules in the clinic."

More than a billion people worldwide struggle with obesity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). While treatment options are evolving, a significant gap remains, particularly in addressing obesity-related complications like OA. OA affects more than 600 million people worldwide, according to WHO, and a considerable proportion of these are with obesity. OA causes debilitating joint pain and limits mobility. Studies confirm that weight loss improves these symptoms. DACRAs, a potential new therapy, may offer a two-pronged approach: promoting weight loss and directly targeting molecular pathways that drive OA progression.