Anika Therapeutics (NSDQ:ANIK) has inked a deal to extend its two-year-long collaboration with the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The group plans to focus its efforts on developing a novel therapeutic candidate to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Anika and UMass reported that it hopes to bring the product into clinical trials to support a potential regulatory submission.
“We’re excited to renew our partnership with UMass Amherst and its world-renowned research faculty to continue developing a targeted, localized therapy that could address an unmet medical need in rheumatoid arthritis,” Anika CEO Charles Sherwood said in prepared remarks.
“Our collective efforts to date have produced a promising therapeutic candidate, encompassing a novel drug delivery system for which patent protection is being sought. We’re confident that the next phase of this collaboration, which will focus on formulating our lead candidate and preparing for clinical development, will prove equally fruitful and advance Anika’s mission to deliver novel therapies that address the full continuum of orthopedic care.”
“The initial success of our collaboration with Anika is solid evidence that industry allying with academia can drive game-changing innovation and accelerate the pace of development,” Mike Malone, UMass Amherst’s vice chancellor for research & engagement, added.
“We are looking forward to further advancing innovative discoveries from UMass laboratories with expertise in inflammation and novel drug delivery technology and therapeutic cargo combinations, to bring much-needed treatment options to people living with rheumatoid arthritis,” Peter Reinhart, director of the Institute for Applied Life Sciences, said.
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