SEATTLE, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — AGC Biologics, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) company, is partnering with Molecular Partners AG, a clinical research biotech company, to develop a new class of specifically adapted proteins for therapeutic purposes under the name DARPin®. AGC Biologics and Molecular Partners AG will work together to develop their multi-specific DARPin program MP0420 to combat COVID-19. Molecular Partners AG plans to start clinical trials as part of this programme in the second half of 2020.
AGC Biologics will produce units in the order of 100 liters and 1,000 liters that are suitable for the development or initial worldwide care of patients who need it. Based on preliminary efficacy data, subcutaneous administration of MP0420 could serve both as a therapy for existing infection and as a potential prevention treatment.
“Ensuring production capacity is a crucial step in ensuring that our novel antiviral DARPin program can also be used in clinical trials. We are highly motivated to work with patients as quickly as possible, relying on our meaningful preclinical data that demonstrates the potential for best efficacy in this category in neutralizing the live virus,” said Patrick Amstutz, CEO of Molecular Partners. “We are very encouraged by the latest data, which confirms the potential of our triple-specific approach to SARS-CoV-2, especially as we believe that novel therapeutics will be a fundamental tool in combating the global COVID-19 pandemic.”
“AGC Biologics is pleased to be working with Molecular Partners on such an essential and innovative program,” said AGC Biologics CBO’s Mark Womack. “We are proud to stand alongside Molecular Partners in the fight against COVID-19.”
AGC Biologics has highly modern production facilities in Seattle (Washington), Boulder (Colorado), Copenhagen (Denmark), Heidelberg (Germany) and Chiba (Japan) and has decades of experience in CDMO production. These include, for example, the commercial supply of active substances approved by the FDA, PDMA and EMA. These best-performing services in their category focus primarily on proteins as drug active ingredients, such as antibody fragments, enzymes, vaccines and many more, but also plasmid DNA.
Information on Molecular
Partners AG:Molecular Partners AG is a biotech company active in clinical research that develops its own drug class called Darpins. The aim is to address the challenges that cannot be overcome under the given conditions. The company has active ingredient components in different phases of clinical and preclinical development with a focus on oncology. Molecular Partners AG has partnered with leading pharmaceutical companies to advance DARPin® therapeutics for a wide range of treatment areas. Further information on Molecular Partners AG can be found at: www.molecularpartners.com.
About AGC
Biologics AGC Biologics is a world-leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that aims to provide the best possible service to customers and partners. The company currently employs more than 1,000 people worldwide. The global network of AGC Biologics covers three continents and has cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington, Colorado, Boulder in Colorado,Copenhagen in Denmark, Heidelberg in Germany and Chiba in Japan.
AGC Biologics provides in-depth industry knowledge and unique customer-specific services for the scale-up and cGMP production of protein-based therapeutics, from preclinical to commercial production of mammalian and microbial cells. The integrated range of services includes plasmids (GMP pDNA), cell line development, bioprocess development, formulation, analytical testing, development and conjugation of antibody drugs, cell banking and storage, and protein expression, including the proprietary CHEF1® expression system for mammalian cell culture production. Learn more at www.agcbio.com.
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