BioWa 宣佈將 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術的第二項日本許可授予大塚製藥
新澤西州普林斯頓2009年10月6日電 /美通社亞洲/ — BioWa, Inc. 今天宣佈，該公司已經與大塚製藥 (Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.) 達成了一項協議，BioWa 將其 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術平臺授權給大塚製藥，讓後者用於 ADCC （抗體依賴細胞的細胞毒性）增強型抗體療法的研發和商業化。BioWa 於2007年5月向 Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited 授予了其 POTELLIGENT(R) 的首項日本製藥許可。
BioWa 總裁兼首席執行官 Masamichi Koike 評論說：「大塚製藥是一家全球性醫療保健公司，在分子發現領域擁有強大的傳統，我們很高興能和它達成合作。同時也很高興能夠推動大塚製藥令人印象深刻的研發生產線的發展。」
根據這項授權協議，BioWa 授予大塚製藥非獨家權利，後者可將 POTELLIGENT(R) 技術用於針對多個尚未披露的靶點的治療性抗體的研發和商業化。作為回報，BioWa 將獲得一筆預付款、階段性分期付款以及產品的特許使用權費。該協議的其它具體內容尚未公佈。
POTELLIGENT(R) 技術簡介
POTELLIGENT(R) 技術通過增強 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) 技術涉及通過採用專有的缺乏巖藻糖轉移酶的 CHO 細胞系作為生產細胞，減少抗體碳水化合物結構中巖藻糖的含量。研究表明，POTELLIGENT(R) 技術明顯增強了體外抗體的 ADCC 活性，並大大增強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，創造了一個擁有更強 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於 ADCC/CDC 增強型單克隆抗體療法的開發，以抗擊癌症和其它危及生命並使人體衰弱的疾病。欲瞭解 BioWa 的更多訊息，請訪問該公司網站 http://www.biowa.com 。
BioWa Announces Second Japanese License of POTELLIGENT(R) Technology to Otsuka Pharmaceutical
PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-Asia/ —
BioWa, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Otsuka) to provide Otsuka with access to BioWa’s POTELLIGENT(R) Technology platform for the research, development and commercialization of their antibody therapeutics with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). BioWa’s first Japanese pharmaceutical POTELLIGENT(R) License was initiated in May, 2007 with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.
“We are delighted about our partnership with Otsuka, a global healthcare company with a strong tradition in molecular discovery,” commented Dr. Masamichi Koike, BioWa’s President and CEO. “We are pleased to be in a position to augment Otsuka’s impressive pipeline.”
Under the terms of the license agreement, BioWa grants Otsuka 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 an upfront payment, 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 .