EXTON, Pa., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Morphotek(R) Inc. announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) for the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies to a cancer-associated protein identified by researchers at the JWCI. Morphotek will apply its proprietary Human MORPHODOMA(R) antibody technology to develop novel antibodies for use in the treatment of advanced melanoma, lung cancer and other solid malignancies that express the antigen. Under the guidance of Dr. Donald Morton, Medical Director and Surgeon-in-Chief, the JWCI will provide its expertise in characterizing and evaluating the specificity and efficacy of these antibodies in bench studies and clinical trials.
"This agreement with the JWCI brings another top-tier specialized research institution into Morphotek's network and will further expand our therapeutic antibody pipeline into the field of melanoma," said Dr. Nicholas C. Nicolaides, President and Chief Executive Officer of Morphotek. "The JWCI team brings a wealth of expertise in the area of antibody evaluation and validation. Their streamlined development process will enable us to move lead antibodies from the bench to the clinic in a rapid and cost-effective manner."
"We are excited to embark on this new venture with Morphotek because of its potential to significantly enhance research efforts in the development of human antibodies for the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma," said Dr. Morton. "Morphotek's sophisticated hybridoma technology provides JWCI researchers another important tool to investigate the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies. JWCI's unique melanoma program and Morphotek's innovative technology represent a potent combination that should rapidly yield effective immune-based treatment for melanoma and other cancers."
Morphotek Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the generation of proprietary proteins for product discovery and development. The Company has a validated and patented platform technology called morphogenics that rapidly enhances the natural process of genetic evolution within a targeted host to yield variants with novel, commercially important output traits. Morphotek markets an antibody development platform called Human MORPHODOMA(R) that employs morphogenics to yield fully human, high-affinity monoclonal antibodies from high-titer hybridoma cells. This platform yields high-quality antibodies that do not demand the burdensome royalties mandated by recombinant antibody technologies. Internally, Morphotek employs its technologies to develop optimized therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammatory and infectious diseases. For further information visit http://www.morphotek.com.
The John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) is a not-for-profit organization that conducts interdisciplinary basic, clinical, and translational research, and applies that knowledge to advance modern cancer treatment. JWCI's internationally recognized team of scientists and clinical researchers is dedicated to investigating and studying most types of cancer in an effort to find a cure or control for each cancer. JWCI conducts world-class cancer research, transforms laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, and provides education regarding cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. State-of-the-art clinical trials and experimental therapies offer a chance of recovery for patients with certain types or stages of cancer until cures are discovered.
Contact: Kimberly Ilgenfritz, Executive Director, Business Development Tel: 610-423-6147 E-mail: info@morphotek.com
Morphotek Inc.CONTACT: Kimberly Ilgenfritz, Executive Director, Business Development,Morphotek, +1-610-423-6147, E-mail: info@morphotek.com
Web site: http://www.morphotek.com/
