Exagen Inc., Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Research Institute and the AHN Autoimmunity Institute jointly announced the execution of a research collaboration agreement and an exclusive license agreement. The collaboration will focus on the development of novel patented biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Under the terms of the research collaboration and license agreement, Exagen will acquire a worldwide exclusive license to four distinct families of inventions from the laboratory of Joseph Ahearn, MD, and Susan Manzi, MD, MPH, in addition to access to the Autoimmunity Institute’s extensive and well-characterized clinical biobank. The parties will mutually invest in the collaborative development of the patents, leading to the development and commercialization of a suite of novel biomarker assays that were developed using a specialized technology known as CB-CAPs or ‘Cell-Bound Complement Activation Products.’ The new assays will augment the use of CB-CAPs that similarly power Exagen’s AVISE® testing which Dr. Ahearn and Dr. Manzi helped design and that became commercially available in 2012. The testing aids clinicians by adding clarity to the clinical evaluation of suspected autoimmune patients that may have lupus.