La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology and Kyowa Hakko Kirin California (KKC), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, have signed a new partnership agreement through the end of 2018.

The six-year agreement continues a research alliance founded in 1988 between La Jolla Institute, an academic nonprofit, and KKC, one of Kyowa Hakko Kirin's R&D centers in the U.S. The collaboration leverages the pharmaceutical company's discovery and development capabilities and La Jolla Institute's expertise in basic research to accelerate translation of research discoveries into potential new treatments.

La Jolla Institute will receive a combination of discretionary research funding and funds dedicated to specific projects to be selected by a steering committee of La Jolla Institute and Kyowa Hakko Kirin leaders. KKC will receive first rights of negotiation to pursue translation of La Jolla Institute discoveries, stemming from research projects funded by KKC.