DSM Biologics and Crucell form biotech alliance

DSM Biologics, one of the leaders in biopharma custom manufacturing, has entered into a collaboration agreement with Crucell, a company involved in the discovery and development of biopharmaceutical products that use the human immune system to fight tumours, infectious diseases and other disorders.

The objective of the agreement will be the further development and production of biopharmaceutical products such as recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies. DSM Biologics, will contribute the required production expertise and process optimisation capabilities, while Crucell brings unique know-how in the form of the PER.C6 cell line and technology, which form the basis for achieving the required high productivity.

DSM Biologics will obtain, against payment, a licence on the technology under which it will be entitled to grant sub-licences to third parties for the development and preparation of the biopharmaceutical proteins. Both companies will actively market licences and share the royalty income. In addition, DSM Biologics and Crucell will directly start a joint development programme for the large-scale production of recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies.

The alliance will offer the biopharmaceutical industry a comprehensive range of services, from the preparation of the cell line for the production of recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies through to the commercial production of biopharmaceutical products. Customers will have the opportunity to rapidly test, develop and produce high-quality products under an easy-to-obtain license, enabling them to shorten the time-to-market and reduce product costs.

'The alliance makes it possible to develop and produce biopharmaceuticals on a large scale,' said Feike Sijbesma, member of the managing board of directors of DSM. 'There is a great future for the type of medicine that we can develop using this technology platform.'