Pepscan in research deal with Cytos Biotechnology

Dutch company Pepscan Systems, of Lelystad, has entered into a research and license option agreement with Swiss-based Cytos Biotechnology to identify novel peptide antigens to generate peptide-based therapeutic vaccines. Under the collaboration Pepscan will use its CLIPS technology to map and reconstruct the receptor interaction site of a cytokine, which Cytos intends to target in one of its immunodrug development programmes. Short peptides which display the receptor binding site of the cytokine will be linked to one of Cytos Biotechnology's Immunodrug carriers and tested in preclinical models for their ability to induce neutralising antibodies. Under the agreement Cytos Biotechnology obtained an option to in-license collaboration products and technologies for further development and commercialisation.