France-based biopharmaceutical firms Stallergenes and DBV Technologies have entered into a research and development agreement for the treatment of birch allergy.
Stallergenes is specialized in the manufacturing of immunotherapy medicines for the prevention and treatment of allergic respiratory diseases like rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic asthma.
The deal follows their previously announced collaboration focused on developing new treatments for respiratory allergies.
The new deal will see Stallergenes' respiratory allergy know-how combined with DBV's novel Viaskin epicutaneous delivery technology that modulates the immune response to allergens.
Majority of Birch pollen-allergic patients have seasonal allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, while they also develop allergies to certain plant foods called oral allergy syndrome (OAS), due to a cross reaction between birch pollen allergens and food proteins with similar structures.
According to Stallergenes, this syndrome can manifest itself in itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, while DBV's Viaskin technology would be well-suited to address the Birch-sensitized population.
As part of the new deal, Stallergenes will be responsible for providing funds to DBV's pre-clinical development, which is aimed at delivering a clinical product candidate that uses Stallergenes' Birch pollen allergen.
Following completion of the product, Stallergenes will have full development and worldwide commercialization rights, while DBV is eligible to get several preclinical, clinical, regulatory and commercial milestone payments of about EUR145m, as well as royalties on the future product's net sales.
DBV Technologies chairman and CEO Pierre-Henri Benhamou said, "Given Stallergenes' experience in immunotherapy and allergen development, coupled with DBV's epicutaneous delivery technology, this collaboration could lead to a valuable medical treatment for patients with respiratory allergies."