LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Celltech Group plc said Thursday that it has entered into a long-term agreement with Biochemie, an affiliate of Novartis AG, under which Biochemie will manufacture for and supply to Celltech PEGylated antibody fragment-based drugs.
Celltech has developed a method of producing in a microbial fermenter system high affinity antibody fragments that are chemically modified using polyethylene glycol (PEG) to facilitate a long circulating half-life in patients.
Celltech is developing products using this technology to address large disease markets such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.
The leading product using this technology, CDP 870, is being developed with Pharmacia Corporation as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, and is currently manufactured under a separate agreement between Biochemie and Pharmacia.
Celltech said that under the terms of the agreement, it has reserved at Biochemie a fixed annual manufacturing capacity in its 3,000 litre and 13,000 litre fermenter systems for recombinant microbial products, covering the period 2004 to 2010, at a pre-agreed rate.
Biochemie will provide technology transfer, scale-up, GMP manufacturing and quality control testing services at its site in Kundl, Austria.
Dr Peter Fellner, Chief Executive Officer of Celltech, commented: "Celltech now has four PEGylated antibody-fragment based products in development, with further products in late stage research."... |
