Immugenyx has signed a collaboration agreement with Janssen Research & Development to develop an in-vivo platform that will aid in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Under the agreement, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals’ wholly owned subsidiary Immugenyx and Janssen will jointly create a new type of humanised mouse model of SLE.

To be developed using Immugenyx’s advanced hematopoietic chimeras (AHC), the SLE model is set to feature a functional human immune system. It will be used for disease modelling and drug development.

Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals CEO and co-founder Vladislav Sandler said: “As a company committed to the development of novel therapeutic products for patients suffering from blood and severe autoimmune diseases, we are pleased to partner with Janssen, a world leader in the discovery and development of therapeutics for autoimmune diseases.”

As part of the agreement, Immugenyx and Janssen will partner on research activities under a mutually approved plan.

Immugenyx will own the humanised mouse model of SLE, and provide Janssen and its affiliates with a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, fully-paid-up, transferable worldwide licence.

The licence will facilitate use of the model for internal research and product development.

This partnership was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation. Financial details of the deal have not been divulged.

In May, Hemogenyx signed a similar partnership agreement with the Rockefeller University.

This agreement allows the university to use the company’s new humanised mice for autoimmune disease modelling in order to develop new treatments for these conditions, including Lupus.

Lupus is a devastating autoimmune disease characterised by hyperactive immune system that attacks normal, healthy tissues and causes inflammation, swelling and damage to various organs in the body.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America estimate, 1.5 million people in the country and at least five million people worldwide, have a form of Lupus. The disease currently lacks cure.