Mediar and Ono Pharmaceutical to develop fibro-inflammatory treatments

These conditions often result in organ failure due to myofibroblast activation, scarring, and tissue inflammation.

Ono will work alongside Mediar to utilise its fibrosis-focused discovery platform, expertise in myofibroblast development, and knowledge of fibrosis pathways.

This partnership gives Ono the exclusive option to license worldwide rights to develop and commercialise these therapeutic programmes. The company will also provide an upfront payment to Mediar and support research and development costs.

Ono Pharmaceutical discovery and research corporate officer / executive vice-president Seishi Katsumata said: “Fibro-inflammatory diseases remain areas of significant unmet medical need, and we believe biologics innovation is essential to provide meaningful therapeutic advances.

“Mediar has established deep scientific expertise in fibrosis and antibody discovery. By combining Mediar’s capabilities with Ono’s experience in immunology and inflammation research area, we aim to create novel antibody therapeutics that may offer new treatment options for patients.”

In addition to this collaboration, Mediar will continue progressing its portfolio targeting fibrotic disorders. This includes MTX-474, an EphrinB2-targeting antibody currently in Phase II development for systemic sclerosis.

Additionally, MTX-463, an anti-WISP1 antibody, is being developed in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. MTX-439, an anti-SMOC2 antibody, is in Phase I trials for chronic kidney disease-mediated fibrosis.

MTX-474 functions by neutralising the EphrinB2 signalling pathway, which contributes to fibrosis onset and progression.

Similarly, MTX-463 targets the WNT1-inducible signalling pathway protein-1 (WISP1), a crucial factor in fibrosis development. MTX-439 aims to inhibit the activity of SMOC2, a protein linked to the pathogenesis of kidney fibrosis.

Mediar Therapeutics CEO Rahul Ballal said: “This strategic collaboration with Ono is an important milestone for Mediar and reflects the growing recognition that directly targeting the myofibroblast can unlock new therapeutic possibilities in fibrotic diseases.”