Gedeon Richter signs deal with Swiss biotech FimmCyte to develop potential endometriosis antibody
An early step towards disease-modifying treatment
Hungarian pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter has signed a research collaboration and option agreement with Swiss biotech FimmCyte to develop a potential first-in-class antibody treatment for endometriosis.
The partnership will focus on advancing FimmCyte’s antibody candidate, FMC2, towards clinical development. The companies say the therapy is designed to act as a disease-modifying treatment — targeting underlying mechanisms of endometriosis rather than simply managing symptoms.
Under the agreement, Richter and FimmCyte will carry out joint research and development activities to prepare FMC2 for entry into the clinic. The companies have already negotiated a definitive, exclusive, worldwide licence for the antibody’s future development and commercialisation.
If early data are promising, Richter can take full control of global development without having to renegotiate the deal, helping speed the move into clinical trials.
FimmCyte will be eligible for development and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on net sales, under the terms of the agreement.
Dr Péter Turek, head of Richter’s women’s healthcare business unit, said the deal marked “an important milestone in the execution of our strategy and reinforces our ambition to become a leader in women’s healthcare”.
“By advancing innovative research in endometriosis, an area with significant unmet medical need, we are strengthening our pipeline while working to deliver transformative solutions that can improve the quality of life of millions of women worldwide,” he said.
A shift beyond symptom management
Endometriosis affects an estimated 190 million women worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. There is currently no cure. Standard treatments include hormonal therapies aimed at suppressing oestrogen and surgery to remove endometrial-like tissue, but recurrence is common and side effects can be significant.
The global endometriosis treatment market was estimated at $1.7bn in 2024 and is forecast to grow steadily over the next decade, reflecting rising diagnosis rates and increased investment in women’s health.
FimmCyte, founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the University of Zürich and University Hospital Zürich, develops targeted immunotherapies for chronic fibro-inflammatory diseases. Its approach centres on using precision antibody therapies to address what it describes as root causes of complex chronic conditions.
Dr Mohaned Shilaih, chief executive of FimmCyte, said the partnership validated the company’s strategy of applying immunotherapy to non-oncology indications.
“By combining our innovation with Gedeon Richter’s women’s health leadership, we aim to bring a first-in-class, disease-modifying therapy to patients quicker,” he said.
Currently, most treatments in development remain hormone-based or focus on symptom control. A biologic therapy designed to modify the course of the disease would represent a significant shift, though FMC2 remains at the preclinical stage and has yet to enter human trials.
Richter said the collaboration builds on its recent expansion of novel drug development capabilities, including the creation of a women’s health-focused original research and development hub in Belgium. The Belgian site is expected to play a central role in advancing the programme.
Richter, founded in 1901 and headquartered in Hungary, reported sales of €2.2bn in 2024 and operates one of central Europe’s largest R&D centres. The company has identified women’s health as a core strategic focus area alongside neuropsychiatry and biotechnology.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.