NEWS
Janssen licenses diabetes research programmes from Evotec and Harvard University Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
People on the Move
Senior VP R&D at ADC Therapeutics
has licensed exclusive access to a portfolio of small-molecule and biologic research programmes focused on the regeneration of insulin-producing beta cells in people with diabetes from Evotec AG and Harvard University. All drug development on behalf of Janssen will be conducted by Janssen Research & Development, LLC.
In 2011, Evotec, Harvard and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) formed a collaboration called CureBeta to further analyse and characterise
drug candidates and targets identified by scientists at the Harvard University laboratory of Dr Douglas Melton, the Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor at Harvard University and an HHMI Investigator.
“Beta cell survival and function play a critical role in maintaining normal glucose levels and when they are compromised, can contribute to the onset of diabetes,” said Peter DiBattiste, MD, Global Therapeutic Head, Cardiovascular and Metabolism at Janssen Research & Development. “This collaboration
strengthens our long-term diabetes development pipeline and directly reflects our commitment to making a difference for the millions of people worldwide living with this disease.”
One of the hallmarks of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is the decline of functional beta cells. Beta cells located in the pancreatic islet synthesise, store and secrete insulin. Their progressive failure and loss leads to diabetes, which makes the beta cell an important target for diabetes research.
RCT partners with Isogenica for large-scale screening
ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), a drug development company targeting cancers with antibody- drug conjugate (ADC) ‘warhead’ therapies, has appointed former Genmab Vice President Dr Patrick van Berkel as Senior Vice President, Research & Development.
Dr van Berkel has more than twenty years’ experience in the biotech industry, and in particular in developing antibody-based therapeutics. He served with Genmab for more than nine years in different divisions; his most recent position was as Vice President of Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC), Research & Development. Previously, he held senior positions, including Director of Technology for the Antibody Technology division, before moving to CMC in 2008. Prior to Genmab, Dr van Berkel worked for both Crucell and Pharming Technologies. He is an author on at least nine antibody patents and has published over thirty peer-reviewed scientific papers during his career in the industry.
of new antibody-derived scaffold platform US company Research Corporation Technologies, Inc has formed a partnership with Cambridge, UK-based Isogenica to access Isogenica’s CIS display platform for the screening of proprietary libraries of a new antigen-binding protein scaffold. The RCT libraries are part of a biologics discovery platform to identify engineered antibody
fragments called ABDURINS™ for development into therapeutic agents. ABDURINS retain the desired long half-life of an antibody’s CH2 domain and are engineered for enhanced stability, epitope binding and other properties. To facilitate screening of the novel libraries, RCT has partnered with Isogenica to provide other companies access
to the high throughput CIS display screening platform which can screen significantly larger libraries and isolate and optimise lead binders more quickly than using phage display. In addition to CIS display, Isogenica will support RCT through deep sequencing and related tools that can inform the optimisation of the selected ABDURINS.
ScinoPharm invests in high potency cytotoxic injectable plant facility
Taiwanese company ScinoPharm is to invest NT$1.1 billion (about $37.6 million) in a high potency cytotoxic injectable plant suitable for production of oncological injectable products at its Tainan Science Park facility. ScinoPharm is a leading supplier of oncological APIs for injectable products, and currently has the most number of oncological APIs for the generic industry. “By expanding into the field of oncological injectable
formulation, ScinoPharm will be able to provide a vertically integrated, one-stop-shop service for our existing API customers,” commented Dr Jo Shen, the company’s president and CEO. “The global demand for oncological injectable production capacity far exceeds
14 sp2 Inter-Active July/August 2012
the supply. Many international generic customers of ours have been eagerly searching for partners who can provide a high- quality and stable supply of oncological injectable drug products not to mention meet GMP requirements. We are excited to be able to fill this critical requirement.”
The facility will include space for
R&D, quality control, washing, sterilisation, manufacturing, filling, lyophilisation, packaging, and storage. There will be one line for oncological production, capable of producing liquid as well as lyophilised vials. In a separate, isolated area, there will also be equipment for prefilled syringes dedicated for non-cytotoxic products. This special capability was also added to meet the
shortage of capacity in the market. The whole injectable plant will meet the cGMP standards of the sterile facility. For the cytotoxic area, where high potency oncological products will be produced, state- of-the-art containment equipment will be installed with proper safety protection.
Design and construction of the plant is expected to begin this year, with completion expected in 2014. ScinoPharm’s main objective is to provide value- added services to its existing customers through contract manufacturing services of oncological injectable form and, through the expanded capabilities, further consolidate its leadership position in the oncology area.
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