Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Abgenix, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABGX - news) today announced that it has entered into a manufacturing supply agreement with Lonza Biologics (Lonza) wherein Lonza will make available exclusively to Abgenix, for a period of five years, a cell culture production suite within its facility in Slough, England. The production suite will be used for the manufacture of antibody products in development by Abgenix and its licensees.
``We are extremely pleased to secure access to Lonza's world-class facilities and expertise in the production of antibodies,'' said R. Scott Greer, chairman and chief executive officer of Abgenix. ``We can now supply our projected need for clinical trial materials in spite of intensifying competition for antibody production capacity.''
With this agreement, Abgenix gains access to production capacity and scheduling flexibility similar to owning the facility, while Lonza retains responsibility for staffing and operating the facility. The term of the agreement is for five years with an option to extend the agreement. The dedicated cell culture production suite with associated purification capacity is undergoing refurbishment and will be operational in the third quarter of 2001.
As previously disclosed, Abgenix is building a large multi-product manufacturing facility in Fremont, CA. This facility is expected to be operational by year-end 2002. Between the dedicated production suite at Lonza and the future capacity in Fremont, Abgenix expects to be able to meet its own and many of its collaborative partners' needs for clinical material.
Abgenix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of fully human monoclonal antibody therapies for a variety of diseases. The company's antibody technology platform, which includes XenoMouse(TM) technology, enables the rapid generation of high affinity, fully human antibody product candidates to essentially any disease target appropriate for antibody therapy. Abgenix leverages its leadership position in human antibody technology by building a large and diversified product portfolio through the establishment of licensing arrangements with multiple pharmaceutical, biotechnology and genomics companies and through the development of its own internal proprietary products. For more information on Abgenix, visit the company's website at www.abgenix.com.
Lonza Biologics is part of Lonza Group and is the world's leader in contract development and production of therapeutic antibodies and proteins. The company undertakes highly specialized services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries based on its nearly 20 years of experience in mammalian cell culture and on proprietary technology for the large-scale manufacturing of innovative pharmaceutical products. With headquarters in the United Kingdom, Lonza Biologics operates cGMP multi-product manufacturing facilities in Slough, United Kingdom and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For more information on Lonza Biologics, visit the company's website at www.lonzagroup.com. |
