BioLineRx has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with three Israel-based institutions for the development and commercialisation of BL-9020 antibody treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes.

The institutions include Yissum Research Development of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, BG Negev Technologies and Applications, and Hadasit Medical Research Services and Development.

BL-9020 was previously developed under BioLineRx's early development programme as EDP-10. It was developed for the treatment of type 1 diabetes in early-stage patients when the insulin-producing pancreatic cells are not completely destroyed and continue to secrete insulin.

According to the company, preclinical data demonstrated that BL-9020 can preserve surviving cells, as well as prevent full maturation of type 1 diabetes.

BioLineRx vice-president of medical affairs Moshe Phillip said that there is currently no cure for the disease, and patients with diabetes need to administer insulin on a daily basis throughout their lifetime.

"Often, when the disease is diagnosed, patients experience a 'honeymoon period, which may last up to a year, during which there are still some insulin producing cells in the pancreas," Phillip said.

"If the disease could be slowed down or halted at this stage, it would be a significant step towards curing diabetes, and will definitely improve the quality of life for millions."

During a pre-clinical study, carried out on a mouse model for diabetes, it was observed that only 40% of the mice treated with BL-9020 developed the disease, compared with 100% in the control group.

According to BioLineRx CEO Dr Kinneret Savitsky, the company is in discussions with a number of potential optimisation and manufacturing co-development partners for developing BL-9020 as an effective treatment for preventing or delaying full development of type 1 diabetes in humans.

The antibody treatment targets the natural killer (NK) receptor NKp46, which has been linked to type 1 diabetes.

Under the studies, natural killer cells belonging to the innate immune system have a major role in the damage to pancreatic cells and, as a consequence, in the development of type 1 diabetes.