BioWa 宣布向默克公司授權 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術
新澤西州普林斯頓7月15日電 /美通社亞洲/ — BioWa, Inc. 今天宣布該公司已經與德國達姆施塔特的默克公司 (Merck KGaA) 簽署了一項授權協議，爲該全球性醫療保健與化學藥品公司提供 BioWa 的 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術平臺的使用權，幫助其進行抗體依賴性細胞毒性 (ADCC) 增强型抗體療法的研究、開發和推廣。
BioWa 總裁兼首席執行官 Masamichi Koike 博士表示：「我們爲與具有强大全球影響力的全球性醫療保健公司默克公司達成合作感到非常高興。默克的世界級研發機構以及全球市場影響力將幫助我們更有效地提升和拓展該技術對病患的效用。」
根據該授權協議，BioWa 授予默克公司針對一系列數量未公布的靶標對 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術産生的療法抗體進行研究、開發和推廣的非獨家權利。而作爲回報，BioWa 將獲得預付款，幷有可能獲得産品開發的分期支付款和産品特許使用費。該協議的其它細節尚未公布。
POTELLIGENT(R) 技術簡介
POTELLIGENT(R) 技術通過增强 ADCC（主要的抗體療法作用機理之一）提高抗體療法的效價與效能。POTELLIGENT(R) 技術涉及通過采用專有的缺乏岩藻糖轉移酶的 CHO 細胞系作爲生産細胞，减少抗體碳水化合物結構中岩藻糖的含量。研究表明，POTELLIGENT(R) 技術明顯增强了體外抗體的 ADCC 活性，幷大大提高了體內抗體的效價和效能。目前人體臨床試驗正在對一些 POTELLIGENT(R) 抗體進行研究。
BioWa, Inc. 簡介
BioWa 是日本領先製藥公司和最大的生物科技公司協和發酵工業株式會社 (Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd.) 旗下全資子公司，也是 AccretaMab(TM) 平臺的全球獨家授權商。AccretaMab(TM) 平臺由 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術和 COMPLEGENT(TM) 技術組成，創造了一個擁有更强 ADCC 和 CDC 活性的優質抗體分子。BioWa 目前正根據授權向合作夥伴提供 POTELLIGENT(R) 和 COMPLEGENT(TM) 技術，以最大限度提升這些技術的價值。BioWa 還與協和發酵工業株式會社共同專注于 ADCC/CDC 增强型單克隆抗體療法的開發，以抗擊癌症和其它危及生命幷使人體衰弱的疾病。欲瞭解 BioWa 的更多信息，請訪問該公司網站 http://www.biowa.com 。
BioWa Announces License of POTELLIGENT(R) Technology to Merck KGaA
PRINCETON, N.J., July 15 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — BioWa, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, providing the global healthcare and chemicals company with access to BioWa’s POTELLIGENT(R) Technology platform for the research, development and commercialization of their antibody therapies with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
“We are extremely pleased about our partnership with Merck KGaA, a global healthcare company with a strong worldwide presence,” commented Dr. Masamichi Koike, BioWa’s President and CEO. “Merck KGaA’s world-class R&D organization and global market presence will enable us to promote and extend the benefit of the technology to patients all over the world more efficiently.”
Under the terms of the license agreement, BioWa grants Merck KGaA non-exclusive rights to research, develop and commercialize therapeutic antibodies generated through POTELLIGENT(R) Technology for an undisclosed number of targets. In return, BioWa will receive upfront payments, and may receive development milestone payments and royalties on products. Other details of the agreement are not disclosed.
About POTELLIGENT(R) Technology
POTELLIGENT(R) Technology improves potency and efficacy of antibody therapeutics, by enhancing ADCC, one of the major mechanisms of action for antibody therapeutics. POTELLIGENT(R) Technology involves the reduction of the amount of fucose in the carbohydrate structure of an antibody using a proprietary fucosyltransferase-knockout CHO cell line as a production cell. Research shows that POTELLIGENT(R) Technology dramatically enhances ADCC activity of an antibody in vitro, and significantly increases potency and efficacy of the antibody in vivo. A number of POTELLIGENT(R) antibodies are being investigated in human clinical trials.
About BioWa, Inc.
BioWa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Japan’s leading pharmaceutical and largest biotech company, and is the exclusive worldwide licensor of AccretaMab(TM) platform. AccretaMab(TM) platform consists of POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies, creating a superior antibody molecule with enhanced ADCC and CDC activities. BioWa is offering POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies to partners under a license to maximize the value of these technologies. Together with Kyowa Hakko Kirin, BioWa is committed to promote ADCC/CDC enhanced monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other life-threatening and debilitating diseases. For more information about BioWa, visit its web site at http://www.biowa.com .