Takeda has acquired the license for a first-in-class investigational coeliac disease therapy, CNP-101/TAK-101. The Japanese pharma giant now has an exclusive global license to develop and commercialise the drug, an immune modifying nanoparticle containing gliadin proteins.

The medicine was acquired from COUR, and is based on the company’s antigen specific immune tolerance platform. Takeda says the decision was based on results from a phase IIa trial, in which the primary endpoint of change from baseline in interferon-gamma (IFN-?) spot forming units (SFUs) at day six was met.

The study also presented a trend in protection from small intestinal mucosal damage, with a deterioration of 0.18 with TAK-101 compared with 0.63 with placebo.

COUR commented that it is “encouraged by the data from this first human proof of concept study of our proprietary nanoparticle platform designed to reprogram the immune system,” according to John J. Puisis, chief executive officer of the company.

He continued, “As Takeda assumes responsibility for the coeliac disease program, COUR will focus on advancing our pipeline of therapies for a variety of other immune disorders ranging from multiple sclerosis to peanut allergy.”

Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune disease where the ingestion of gluten leads to inflammation and damage in the small intestine. It can cause symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, and long-term complications of coeliac disease may include malnutrition, accelerated osteoporosis, nervous system problems and problems related to reproduction.