H. Lundbeck A/S announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with AprilBio Co., Ltd. (AprilBio). Under the agreement between the two companies, Lundbeck receives exclusive, worldwide rights to research, develop and commercialize APB-A1, a novel and well-differentiated anti-CD40 ligand (CD40L) antibody-like drug candidate, ready for phase I testing around the beginning of 2022. This novel drug candidate offers significant potential across a wide array of neuroimmune diseases.

The agreement enables Lundbeck to initiate clinical activities targeting the neuroimmune system. The concept is built on a biology that has proven its ability to therapeutically target diseases of the central nervous system. APB-A1 will accelerate internal experience and expertise that in turn will enable building a broader pipeline for Lundbeck in this area.