Innovative Targeting Solutions Announces Collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Innovation to Advance Drug Discovery

SAN FRANCISCO and VANCOUVER, Aug. 23, 2016 /CNW/ - Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc. (ITS) today announced a research collaboration with Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

Under the agreement, facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the collaboration will utilize Innovative Targeting Solutions' proprietary HuTARG™ research platform to discover antibody candidates useful for modulating immune responses in autoimmunity or cancer. The HuTARG™ protein engineering platform is able to engineer both T-cell receptors and fully human antibodies that bind major histocompatibility complex (MHC)/peptide complexes displaying fragments of intracellular proteins of interest.  

"Conventional biologic therapies do not target intracellular proteins which make up 60-80% of a cells proteome. The ability to target MHC/peptide complexes opens up an important untapped area for targeted therapy" said Paul Kang, CSO of Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc. "We are very excited to be working with Janssen in this exciting new area which we believe has the potential to transform the industry's ability to improve human health."

Details of the collaboration including the specific targets, number of targets, and specific therapeutic indications are not being disclosed at this time.  The financial terms are also not being disclosed. 

About Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc.

Founded in 2008, Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc. is a privately-held company that has developed a next generation protein engineering platform for the generation of fully human antibody and T cell receptor based therapeutics using its proprietary HuTARG™ technology.  The HuTARG™ technology is a fully mammalian technology that generates antibody diversity in vitro via RAG1/RAG2 mediated V(D)J recombination. For more information, visit www.innovativetargeting.com

SOURCE Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc.

Media Contacts: Sunil Suvarna, Consultant, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, [email protected], D: [phone]