NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – KineMed has signed a strategic deal with Pfizer to discover and develop new proteomics-based biomarkers using KineMed's protein activity kinetics tracking technology, the California-based company announced today.
Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer has licensed KineMed's proteomics platform and the rights to discover, develop, and commercialize biomarkers. The partners will work together on discovery, while Pfizer will be responsible for developing and commercializing any biomarkers or companion diagnostics.
Pfizer will give KineMed an upfront payment and funding for R&D costs and KineMed will be eligible to receive further payments for meeting development and regulatory milestones. The amounts of the payments were not disclosed.
"We believe our kinetic biomarker platform provides real advantages over other approaches to biomarker discovery in de-risking and advancing medicines development, and this collaboration with Pfizer is an important step toward helping us realize the full potential of this technology," KineMed President Patrick Doyle said in a statement.
KineMed's platform uses mass spectroscopy and stable isotope labeling of protein turnover to provide rates of change in key proteins involved with therapeutic efficacy and target engagement, the firm said in a statement.
The strategic collaboration furthers the relationship between the two firms — in June 2014, they renewed a non-exclusive research collaboration on metabolic disease, particularly type 2 diabetes.