Novozymes’ Veltis® albumin-based half-life extension platform will help move treatment for autoimmune diseases closer to clinical development.
Novozymes Biopharma and EpiVax today announced that they have entered a license agreement for the development of novel treatments for autoimmune diseases. The agreement follows two years of successful feasibility studies and it allows EpiVax to use Novozymes’ albumin technologies to develop cutting edge immunotherapies.
The Novozymes technology to be applied to EpiVax’s Tregitope technology is known as VELTIS® and based on albumin, a naturally occurring protein that can be found in human blood. Albumin works as a vehicle that transports the active drug ingredients throughout the body and increases the lifespan of the drug in the body to achieve improved patient compliance. As a result, it is possible to modulate half-life of a therapy to offer improved control, enhancing the overall efficacy of treatments.
As a result, it is possible to modulate half-life of a therapy to offer improved control, enhancing the overall efficacy of treatments.
“We are delighted to move into a license agreement with EpiVax in this key area of autoimmune diseases treatment”, says Peter Rosholm, Vice President of Novozymes Biopharma. “In combination with the technologies and know-how EpiVax holds, Novozymes’ VELTIS makes it possible to develop a potential ‘paradigm-shifting’ treatment for autoimmune diseases.
Treatment of autoimmune diseases
EpiVax has identified a set of natural peptide sequences, or epitopes, derived from Immunoglobulin G (IgG) that are potent activators of natural T regulatory cells (hence Tregitope). The initial application targeted by the Novozymes and Epivax collaboration will be the development of a recombinant alternative to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment. “Novozymes’ proven solutions, technical expertise, and reputation as a reliable partner, makes it an ideal company for us to work with as we move our Tregitope immune-modulating technology even closer to clinical trials. After successful feasibility studies, we now move into the next phase, looking to develop a platform for immunomodulation that will change the way that we treat autoimmune diseases, allergy and transplantation, says Dr. Annie De Groot, CEO/CSO at EpiVax, Inc.
Within the last year, Novozymes has also announced a number of collaborations with other pharmaceutical companies. These companies can now evaluate Novozymes’ albumin technology for potential new drug candidates. Earlier this year, GlaxoSmithKline achieved market approval for their new diabetes drug based on Novozymes’ albumin technology. “We consider this new license agreement yet another proof that VELTIS can offer true benefits for our customers seeking to develop longer lasting and better drugs”, Peter Rosholm says.
The license agreement is not expected to impact Novozymes’ financial outlook for 2014.
About Novozymes
Novozymes is the world leader in bioinnovation. Together with customers across a broad array of industries we create tomorrow’s industrial biosolutions, improving our customers’ business and the use of our planet’s resources. With over 700 products used in 130 countries, Novozymes’ bioinnovations improve industrial performance and safeguard the world’s resources by offering superior and sustainable solutions for tomorrow’s ever-changing marketplace. Read more at www.novozymes.com.
About EpiVax
EpiVax, Inc. is a Providence, Rhode Island biotechnology company focused on the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutics. EpiVax is one of the world’s leading innovators in the field of “Immunogenicity Screening”. The company uses immunoinformatics tools to screen protein therapeutics and to deimmunize these drugs so as to reduce adverse effects in the clinic. The Tregitope technology adds to the EpiVax Immunogenicity Toolbox, as it is expected to improve tolerance of protein drugs such as replacement enzymes, blood factors, and monoclonal antibodies. Through the application and utilization of these computational tools, EpiVax is helping to engineer safe, more effective therapeutic proteins and to rapidly design protective and efficacious new vaccines.
The company was spun out of Brown University in 1998 with start-up funding from Slater Biotechnology (a state-backed investment fund). Led by Dr. Anne S. De Groot, M.D., Immunoinformatics and vaccine design thought leader, EpiVax has enjoyed success in the fields of immunology and bioinformatics, and has developed proprietary immunoinformatics tools for the development and improvement of biotherapeutic drug candidates.
www.epivax.com
About Veltis
Veltis is a clinically-proven technology based on engineered albumins delivered to allow the drug developer to optimise dose size and frequency to achieve stricter patient adherence (compliance) for improved therapeutic impact by targeting once weekly, once two-weekly, or once monthly dosing.
Veltis is delivered by Novozymes Biopharma and is provided with access to our extensive technical and regulatory support as well as to partner providers. The technology is well-established in the fields of diabetes, haemophilia and neutropenia by our customers.
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