ARTES and Minapharm sign long-term strategic development agreement
German biotech company ARTES Biotechnology, which specialises in recombinant protein production from yeast expression systems, has begun a strategic collaboration with Rhein Minapharm Biogenetics, a subsidiary of Minapharm SAE, of Egypt) to develop three therapeutic proteins. Financial details were not disclosed.
German biotech company ARTES Biotechnology, which specialises in recombinant protein production from yeast expression systems, has begun a strategic collaboration with Rhein Minapharm Biogenetics, a subsidiary of Minapharm SAE, of Egypt) to develop three therapeutic proteins. Financial details were not disclosed.
ARTES will apply its proprietary Hansenula technology platform and know-how to the generation of production cell lines, analytical assay development, and lab-scale fermentation. The company has also granted Minapharm a commercial licence option to apply its proprietary technologies to the manufacturing and marketing of these therapeutic proteins.
In addition, ARTES will be responsible for the 100 L-scale production of a Minapharm protein based on an existing process using E. coli.
Minapharm will carry out the pertinent process r&d, production and commercialisation of the therapeutic proteins.
The yeast strain Hansenula polymorpha is often an alternative to E. coli for producing therapeutic proteins or technical enzymes inexpensively. A number of products derived from Hansenula are already marketed worldwide such as hepatitis B vaccine, insulin, interferon alpha 2a and feed and food enzymes. Several others are in clinical trials.
"The agreement is a logical consequence of the encouraging results of our currently marketed Hansenula-derived products combining high quality and cost-effectiveness," said Dr Wafik Bardissi, chairman and ceo of Minapharm.