UK biopharma Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals has signed a deal with Janssen Research & Development to create a humanised mouse model of lupus.

Under the plan, Immugenyx, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hemogenyx, will work with Janssen on the development of a model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), using its advanced hematopoietic chimeras (AHC).

According to the firm, AHC is a new type of humanised mouse with a functional human immune system being developed by Immugenyx as an in vivo platform for disease modelling and drug development.

“As a company committed to the development of novel therapeutic products for patients suffering from blood and severe autoimmune diseases, we are pleased to partner with Janssen, a world leader in the discovery and development of therapeutics for autoimmune diseases,” said Dr Vladislav Sandler, chief executive and co-founder of Hemogenyx, commenting on the move.

Financial specifics of the deal were not disclosed, but it was revealed that Immugenyx will own the lupus model and will grant Janssen and its affiliates a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, fully-paid-up, transferable, worldwide, license to solely it for their own internal research and product development purposes.