[BioTech] Research and License agreements between National Cheng Kung University and Novo Nordisk A/S

[BioTech] Research and License agreements between National Cheng Kung University and Novo Nordisk A/S (Chinese Version)

NCKU Research Express (2012/05/15) A southern Taiwan-based National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) research team led by Ming-Shi CHANG, NCKU Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has discovered an anti-interleukin-20 (anti-IL-20) antibody, a potential new anti-osteoporosis and anti-rheumatoid arthritis drug, and agrees to license selected intellectual property and transfer certain technology to Novo Nordisk A/S, a Danish-based pharmaceutical company for a total payment of US$ 13.3 million in case of a successful completion of the project.

In addition, Professor Ming-Shi CHANG and Novo Nordisk A/S have established a 2-year research collaboration to further strengthen and possible expand the usages of an IL-20 antibody.

Speaking at the joint conference on May 15th , Minister Wei-Ling CHIANG of the Cabinet-level Ministry of Education (MOE) noted that it’s an inspiring moment for Taiwan’s higher education and the success in technology transfer shows great turnout for the special funding of five year NT$50 billion allocated by MOE to boost academic research at domestic universities.

NCKU President Hwung-Hweng HWUNG hailed the groundbreaking discovery of anti-interleukin-20 antibody: “The findings not only mark a milestone in global healthcare, but also raise the visibility of Taiwan’s academic research.”

This medical discovery was published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM) and has drawn huge attention in the academic world and the biotechnology industry as well.

IL-20 has a key role in osteoclast differentiation, and blockading this cytokine could represent a novel therapeutic approach for osteoporosis, according to data from the NCKU medical team.

The chief editor of Nature Reviews wrote a research highlight in the September issue of Nature Reviews Rheumatology commenting on this finding, while Science-Business eXchange (SciBX) published a cover story reporting on the discovery in the same month.

The study not only signifies groundbreaking findings in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, but could lead to the innovation of new drugs to treat osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.


Further Information:
NCMU Research Express 2012/05/15

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