MedImmune Licenses BioWa, Inc.'s POTELLIGENT(TM) Technology for Use in Antibody Development
Wednesday December 7, 6:00 am ET
PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BioWa, Inc. announced today that MedImmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDI - News) has licensed BioWa's POTELLIGENT(TM) technology for use in researching and developing select MedImmune antibodies for potential therapeutic applications that require enhancement of antibody- dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
"We are delighted that MedImmune, a recognized biotechnology leader, has decided to use our POTELLIGENT(TM) technology as a method for maximizing the potential of therapeutic antibodies," said Dr. Nobuo Hanai, BioWa President and CEO. "We believe that this collaboration with MedImmune highlights the potential advantages of our ADCC-enhancing technology and furthers BioWa's goal to bring about safe and more effective treatments for cancer and other life-threatening and debilitating diseases."
Under the terms of the agreement, BioWa will provide MedImmune with non- exclusive commercial rights to use the technology to enhance ADCC in developing antibodies for multiple targets. In return, BioWa will receive technology access fees, and may receive milestone payments and royalties on products developed by MedImmune. Additional terms were not disclosed.
About POTELLIGENT(TM) Technology
Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity is an important function of the human immune system, whereby immune cells can kill target cells, e.g. cancer cells. Several anti-cancer therapeutic antibodies that are on the market today have ADCC activity as one of their mechanisms for the killing of tumor cells. Enhancement of this activity is one promising approach in the next generation of antibody technologies.
POTELLIGENT(TM) 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(TM) technology significantly enhances ADCC activity of an antibody in vitro, thereby increasing the potency and efficacy of such antibody in vivo.
About BioWa, Inc.
BioWa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd., Japan's leading pharmaceutical and largest biotech company, and is the exclusive worldwide licensor of POTELLIGENT(TM) technology, which creates high ADCC monoclonal antibodies. Currently, BioWa is developing ADCC enhanced monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other life- threatening and debilitating diseases and both BioWa and Kyowa have POTELLIGENT(TM) antibody products in various clinical stages. BioWa creates and develops enhanced ADCC antibodies for itself and others, offering a full range of antibody discovery and development capabilities. For more information about BioWa, visit its web site at biowa.com.
POTELLIGENT(TM) is the trademark of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd.... |
