Biovation And Viventia Biotech Form Collaboration To Design A Novel Non-Immunogenic Protein Therapeutic

11-Dec-2002

Darmstadt, Germany - Biovation Ltd. of Aberdeen, UK, and Viventia Biotech, Inc., of Toronto, Canada, today announce the signing of a research agreement under which Biovation will apply its proprietary technology, DeImmunisation, to one of Viventia's novel cytotoxic proteins. Biovation will receive research revenues, and in the event Viventia pursues further development of the protein could earn license fees, potential milestone payments and royalties on future product sales.

"We are excited to be entering into a collaboration with Viventia, which we consider to be one of Canada's leading biotech companies," said Dr. Frank Carr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Biovation. "We are particularly excited to be working with Viventia on the creation of novel biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer."

Dr. Anthony Schincariol, President and CEO, Viventia Biotech Inc. said, "Biovation's proprietary DeImmunisation technology increases the clinical potential of antibody and protein therapeutics by eliminating or reducing the T-cell response caused when the therapeutic molecule is recognized as foreign by the patient's immune system. Utilizing this approach, the Biovation technology strengthens our Armed Antibodies? strategy which can deliver anti-cancer payloads directly to cancer sites."

Dr. Nick Glover, Vice President, Corporate Development, Viventia Biotech commented further that, "Viventia believes that, once DeImmunised, this novel cytotoxic protein could form the cornerstone of our Armed Antibodies? arsenal, and has the potential to facilitate a new generation of anti-cancer therapeutics."

Biovation's DeImmunisation technology identifies portions of the therapeutic antibody or protein that could generate an immune response. The potentially immunogenic region is then removed from the molecule by single amino acid substitutions, thus eliminating or reducing the therapeutic antibody or protein's immunogenicity and increasing its safety. This can be done without compromise to efficacy.

Other news from the department business & finance

Most read news

More news from our other portals

Fighting cancer: latest developments and advances

See the theme worlds for related content

Topic world Antibodies

Antibodies are specialized molecules of our immune system that can specifically recognize and neutralize pathogens or foreign substances. Antibody research in biotech and pharma has recognized this natural defense potential and is working intensively to make it therapeutically useful. From monoclonal antibodies used against cancer or autoimmune diseases to antibody-drug conjugates that specifically transport drugs to disease cells - the possibilities are enormous

View topic world

Topic world Antibodies

Antibodies are specialized molecules of our immune system that can specifically recognize and neutralize pathogens or foreign substances. Antibody research in biotech and pharma has recognized this natural defense potential and is working intensively to make it therapeutically useful. From monoclonal antibodies used against cancer or autoimmune diseases to antibody-drug conjugates that specifically transport drugs to disease cells - the possibilities are enormous