Numab Therapeutics Enters into Agreement with Kaken Pharmaceutical for Multispecific Antibody NM81 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Friday, November 14, 2025
Numab Therapeutics and Kaken Pharmaceutical have entered into a new licence and co-development agreement to advance NM81, a multispecific antibody being developed for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers mainly to two long-term conditions, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, that cause ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fatigue, and weight loss. The exact cause is not fully understood, but it is linked to an abnormal immune response, genetics, and environmental factors. IBD typically requires lifelong management through medication, diet, and sometimes surgery, with the aim of reducing inflammation and maintaining remission.
Kaken Pharmaceutical has taken up its option to secure commercial rights to NM81 in selected Asian markets, following an earlier collaboration agreement signed in November 2024. Under the latest arrangement, both companies will work together to progress NM81 to clinical proof-of-concept. Kaken Pharmaceutical will provide funding for preclinical and clinical activities.
The partnership aims to combine Numab’s multispecific antibody technologies with Kaken Pharmaceutical’s development expertise. If a product from this collaboration is successfully developed, Kaken Pharmaceutical will receive certain payments linked to its support for research and development.
The agreement reflects the shared goal of accelerating progress towards new treatment options for people living with IBD.
Source: numab.com
