GHENT, Belgium, January 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Ablynx, the pioneer in discovery and development of Nanobodies(TM), a novel class of antibody-derived therapeutic proteins, has signed a collaboration agreement with Centocor Research and Development, Inc.
Under the terms of the collaboration, the companies will perform joint research funded by Centocor. Applying the unique properties of Nanobodies(TM), the two companies will work jointly on novel approaches for administration and delivery of Nanobody(TM) based therapeutics. The financial terms of the collaboration are not disclosed.
Nanobodies(TM) are a novel class of therapeutic proteins that combine the beneficial features of conventional antibodies with desirable properties of small molecule drugs. Nanobodies(TM) have the affinity and selectivity of conventional antibodies yet are only a fraction of their size. Because of their unique structure and high stability, Nanobodies(TM) can address target opportunities that are beyond the reach of conventional antibodies.
Dr. Mark Vaeck, Chief Executive Officer of Ablynx said about the deal:
“We are delighted to engage in this collaboration with Centocor who are a pioneer in the development of therapeutic antibodies. Through this partnership we create a unique opportunity for Ablynx, by combining our own know-how on the Nanobody(TM) platform with the world-class expertise of Centocor, who are considered as the benchmark in therapeutic antibody development.”
About Ablynx
Ablynx is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of Nanobodies(TM), a novel class of therapeutic proteins based on single-domain antibody fragments, for a range of serious and life-threatening human diseases. Ablynx is developing a portfolio of Nanobody(TM) based therapeutic programs in a number of major disease areas, including inflammation, thrombosis, oncology and Alzheimer’s disease. Over the past few years Ablynx has generated Nanobodies(TM) against more than twenty different disease targets, and has obtained positive in vivo efficacy data from animal trials in five therapeutic programs. Importantly, Ablynx has shown the absence of any detectable immunogenicity for its Nanobody(TM) development candidates in advanced primate studies. Today, three of these programs are in advanced preclinical development, and Ablynx expects to have progressed two of those into clinical trials by early 2007.
Nanobody(TM) based therapeutics represent a major commercial opportunity. Because of their unique structure and unparalleled stability, Nanobodies(TM) can address therapeutic opportunities that are beyond the reach of conventional antibodies or their fragments.
Ablynx holds the dominant patent position in the field of Nanobodies(TM). It has exclusive and worldwide rights to more than forty families of granted patents and pending patent applications, including the patents covering the basic structure, composition, preparation and uses of Nanobodies(TM) (the ‘Hamers patents’) which have been granted in major territories including the US, Europe and Japan. All products, including therapeutics, that contain Nanobodies(TM) are covered by these patents.
Headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, Ablynx has raised over EUR33 million (over US$40 million) from a strong investor consortium including Abingworth Management (UK), Alta Partners (USA), Biotech Fund Flanders (Belgium), Gilde Investment Management (The Netherlands), GIMV (Belgium) and Sofinnova Partners (France).
For further information please visit the website at www.ablynx.com
Ablynx
CONTACT: Contacts: Media relations for Ablynx: Sue Charles, MA, MBA, CEO,Northbank Communications, t: +44-(0)20-7886-8152, e:s.charles@northbankcommunications.com. At Ablynx: Mark Vaeck, Ph.D., CEO,Ablynx NV, t: +32-(0)9-261-06-20, e: mark.vaeck@ablynx.com
