Novozymes (Copenahgen, Denmark) and ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. (Montreal) announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance regarding proprietary albumin purification technology based upon a synthetic-ligand affinity adsorbent developed by ProMetic’s UK subsidiary, ProMetic BioSciences Ltd. The purification technology has been designed for the rapid and cost-effective development of Novozymes’ albufuse albumin-fusion molecules.
Under the terms of the co-marketing alliance the companies will jointly promote the use of a new synthetic-ligand affinity adsorbent, marketed under the trade-name AlbuPure, as a platform approach for the purification of albumin and albumin-fusion proteins. ProMetic will be the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of AlbuPure, however both parties will retain ownership of their respective technologies and both Novozymes and ProMetic will have the right to market AlbuPure.
ProMetic and Novozymes Biopharma, a subsidiary of Novozymes, have collaborated on the development of AlbuPure, which was derived from ProMetic’s Mimetic Ligand technology and targeted at the capture and purification of recombinant albumin proteins produced in yeast. AlbuPure binds specifically to the albumin portion of the molecule and so can be used for the purification of any albufuse albumin-fusion protein.
Novozymes Biopharma has a wealth of experience in the development of albumin-fusion proteins, having pioneered the albufuse technology, which is widely licensed for the manufacture of this increasingly important class of protein therapeutics. The market for biopharmaceutical proteins is estimated to be approximately $80 billion and growing at more than 10% per annum.
According to Dr. Dave Mead, Novozymes Biopharma’s Business Development Director: “Novozymes Biopharma has established itself as the market leader for recombinant albumin expression alongside its unique albufuse technology. This alliance with ProMetic will enable us to expand the technology package offered to our clients to include both protein expression and protein purification technology for albumin-fusion proteins. The availability of a robust affinity capture step, fully supported by Novozymes Biopharma and ProMetic, will provide significant advantages to our clients, including reduced development times and simplified high-yield manufacturing processes. The AlbuPure development builds on a good and long-standing relationship between our two companies.”
This news was featured in Drug Discovery & Development magazine: Vol. 13, No. 3, April 2010, p. 35.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
