Amgen extends autoimmune pact with small Michigan biotech

Amgen is going all in on a three-indication collaboration with an Ann Arbor, MI, biotech.

The California pharma has elected to move forward with all three autoimmune programs in its $240 million pact with EVOQ Therapeutics, the companies said Wednesday. EVOQ received an undisclosed milestone payment.

The duo initially teamed up in January 2021. Since then, the startup from the University of Michigan and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has also allied with the nonprofit JDRF on Type 1 diabetes and, in recent weeks, with Gilead, for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

Amgen and EVOQ are still in the preclinical stages and are targeting different indications than the Gilead partnership, EVOQ CEO David Giljohann told Endpoints News. He declined to provide guidance on clinical trial timelines.

David Giljohann

Giljohann said the biotech is eyeing additional equity financing.

“We’re ready for prime time in terms of taking the story out to more traditional VC crowds on a Series A type path,” he said. “EVOQ at this point is very well-funded for company at this stage.”

Shortly after the potential $658 million Gilead partnership was announced, EVOQ disclosed new leadership, with Giljohann joining as CEO. He resigned from Exicure’s board in late 2021 and left the biotech shortly thereafter, as about half the workforce was laid off at the time.

Now at EVOQ, Giljohann will work to beef up the leadership team and overall headcount, which is about 10 people and mostly outsourced R&D at this point, he said.

The biotech will provide more information on two internal programs in the coming months, the CEO said, noting there are about 100 different autoimmune indications to go after. EVOQ is going after dendritic cells with the hope of amplifying the immune system’s tolerance.

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