A groundbreaking 35-year academic-industry partnership between La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Kyowa Kirin has entered its 36th year with the signing of a new three-year research funding agreement. The collaboration, which has yielded significant discoveries in immunology and supported first-in-class therapies for rare diseases, will now focus on accelerating cell and gene therapies for patients with unmet medical needs.
The partnership, initiated in 1988 by a Japanese immunologist and funded by what was then Kirin Brewery's emerging pharmaceutical business, has evolved into one of the world's most enduring and productive industry-academic alliances for drug discovery.
A History of Scientific Achievement
Over three and a half decades, the collaboration has transformed basic understanding of human immunity and paved the way for important clinical advances. LJI, now ranked among the world's top five immunology institutions, has made pioneering discoveries that harness the immune system against cancer, reveal key differences between immune systems of men and women, and provide new opportunities to protect against emerging infectious diseases.
Meanwhile, Kyowa Kirin has developed into a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company focused on novel therapies for patients with rare and debilitating diseases. The company currently markets three therapies in North America and more than 50 products worldwide in areas including hematology-oncology and rare bone disease.
"The unique and vibrant culture we've established over the past 35 years, coupled with the continuous research funding from Kyowa Kirin, has enabled our teams to make pioneering scientific contributions that have dramatically increased our understanding of human immunology," said LJI Professor, President & CEO Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA.
From Laboratory to Clinical Trials
The partnership has created a unique alliance blending LJI's academic expertise with Kyowa Kirin's drug development and commercialization capabilities. Scientists from both organizations work side by side under one roof, partnering on joint research programs while also pursuing independent projects that advance their mutual interests.
To date, the partnership has included more than 200 sponsored or collaborative research projects. Several LJI discoveries have been selected for further development in Kyowa Kirin's drug discovery pipeline, with compounds now advancing through clinical trials for conditions including ulcerative colitis, acute respiratory distress, and atopic dermatitis.
One of the most promising candidates is an immunotherapy for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis currently in Phase III clinical trials. Preliminary data from several clinical programs is anticipated in 2025.
New Focus on Cell and Gene Therapies
The renewed research agreement provides LJI with multiple types of support, including research funding, faculty hiring support, and project-specific research funds relating to Kyowa Kirin's therapeutic scope.
Joint research will prioritize cell and gene therapies designed to treat diseases with limited or no treatment options. This focus aligns with Kyowa Kirin's commitment to addressing some of the world's most challenging and unmet medical needs.
"We're excited about our future with LJI and the opportunities it affords to shape a healthier future for patients with unmet medical needs," said Yoshifumi Torii, Ph.D., Executive Officer, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Research at Kyowa Kirin. "Pairing the best basic scientists and translational medicine researchers at the table from the beginning creates a more entrepreneurial way of thinking about drug discovery and development that promotes innovation and accelerates timelines on behalf of patients."
A Model for Industry-Academic Collaboration
The LJI-Kyowa Kirin partnership stands as a model for how industry and academic institutions can collaborate effectively over the long term. Their proximity and open access to each other's scientific expertise, technical capabilities, and LJI's core facilities have fueled the identification and validation of target molecules and numerous candidate compounds.
This collaborative approach has proven particularly valuable in addressing complex immunological challenges and developing innovative therapies for patients with rare and debilitating diseases.
As the partnership enters its next phase, both organizations remain committed to leveraging their combined strengths to advance scientific understanding and develop life-changing treatments for patients worldwide.
