TIDMABZA
Abzena PLC
12 January 2015
ABZENA PLC
("Abzena", the "Company")
Abzena subsidiary Antitope, INSERM and Baylor Institute for
Immunology Research to collaborate to produce manufacturing cell
lines for two novel vaccines for HIV
12 January 2015
Cambridge, UK- Abzena plc (AIM: ABZA or "Abzena"), a
revenue-generating life sciences company providing services and
technologies that enable the development of better
biopharmaceutical products, announces its wholly owned subsidiary
Antitope Limited ("Antitope") has extended its relationship with
INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical
Research, a leading public scientific and technological institute
with a key role in biomedical and translational research; ANRS, the
National Health Agency for Research on AIDS and Hepatitis; and the
Baylor Institute for Immunology Research ("BIIR"), one of the
world's leading centers for translational immunology research.
INSERM-ANRS and the BIIR have developed innovative approaches
for HIV vaccines targeting HIV antigens to dendritic cells (DC)
using monoclonal antibodies fused to HIV antigens. Extensive
preclinical data has demonstrated the high immunogenicity of the
candidate vaccines. Antitope will produce cell lines for GMP
manufacture of two anti-CD40-HIV fusion proteins that INSERM-ANRS
and BIIR are developing as potential therapeutic and prophylactic
vaccines to treat HIV. The cell lines will be produced using
Antitope's Composite CHO(TM) technology. The antibody component of
the fusion proteins has previously been humanized by Antitope using
its Composite Human Antibody(TM) technology. Phase I and Phase II
clinical trials will be conducted in France to test the
immunogenicity and efficacy of these DC-targeting vaccines
developed by INSERM-ANRS in partnership with the BIIR.
Abzena's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Matthew Baker, commented,
"This project further extends our relationship with BIIR in
developing a range of therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of
diseases such as HIV."
Dr Gerard Zurawski, Co-director of BIIR and Director of the
Center for Biotechnology at BIIR, said: "We are excited to be part
of this international team that is developing potential new
therapeutic options for patients with HIV."
Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, Director of ANRS said: "This
is an important step in our research programme to develop effective
therapeutic and preventive vaccines against HIV/AIDS."
About Antitope
Antitope is a wholly owned subsidiary of Abzena plc, a group
focused on providing proprietary technologies and value-added
services to enable the development of better
biopharmaceuticals.
Antitope provides immunogenicity assessment, protein engineering
to create humanized antibodies and deimmunised therapeutic
proteins, and cell line development for manufacture. The Company
provides its services and technologies to an international client
base that includes most of the world's leading biotechnology and
pharmaceutical companies.
www.antitope.com
About Abzena
Abzena provides proprietary technologies and value-added
services to enable the development of better
biopharmaceuticals.
Abzena comprises two wholly owned subsidiary businesses -
PolyTherics and Antitope - which have established a broad suite of
complementary technologies that are designed to improve the chances
of successful development of antibodies and proteins with enhanced
therapeutic benefits.
Abzena is listed on the AIM segment of the London Stock Exchange
under the symbol ABZA.
www.abzena.com
About BIIR
BIIR (www.biir.org) is the immunology component of Baylor
Research Institute and is one of the top translational human
immunology centers in the world. BIIR has programs in cancer
vaccines, transplantation immunology, infectious diseases and
inflammatory diseases. The goal of BIIR is to quickly translate
important research discoveries from the 'bench to the bedside' to
improve patient care and prevent the causes of diseases before they
occur.
About Baylor Research Institute
Established in 1984 in Dallas, Texas, Baylor Research Institute
(BRI) promotes and supports research to bring innovative treatments
from the laboratory workbench to the patient bedside. To achieve
this bench-to-bedside concept, BRI focuses on basic science,
clinical trials, healthcare effectiveness and quality of care
research. Today, BRI is conducting more than 930 active research
protocols with 400 research investigators, spanning more than 22
medical specialties, and has research and development projects in
areas ranging from human immunology and orphan metabolic diseases
to diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and many other unmet medical
needs.
About Baylor Scott & White Health
Baylor Scott & White Health, the organization formed from
the 2013 merger between Baylor Health Care System and Scott &
White Healthcare, is today the largest not-for-profit health care
system in the state of Texas. With total assets of $8.6 billion*
and serving a geographic area larger than the state of Maine,
Baylor Scott & White Health has the vision and resources to
provide its patients continued quality care while creating a model
system for a dramatically changing health care environment. The
organization now includes 46 hospitals, more than 500 patient care
sites, more than 6,000 active physicians, 36,000 employees and the
Scott & White Health Plan. For More Information visit:
www.BaylorScottandWhite.com
* based on unaudited fiscal year 2014 financial statements
For more information, please contact:
For Antitope / Abzena
John Burt (Chief Executive Officer)
Tel: + 44 (0)1223 903351
Email: john.burt@abzena.com
Christopher Golden and Bobbie Hilliam
Cenkos Securities (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
Tel: +44 (0)20 7397 8900
Mark Swallow or Chris Gardner
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7638 9571
Email: abzena@citigatedr.co.uk
For Baylor Institute of Immunology Research
Kristine Hughes
Tel: (office): +1 (214) 820-7556
Tel: (mobile): +1 (214) 755-0010
Email: kristine.hughes@baylorhealth.edu
About INSERM
Founded in 1964, the French national institute of health and
medical research (INSERM) is a public science and technology
institute, jointly supervised by the French Ministry of Higher
Education and Research and the Ministry of Health. The mission of
its scientists is to study all diseases, from the most common to
the most rare, through their work in biological, medical and public
health research.
With a budget of 972 million euros in 2013, INSERM supports more
than 300 laboratories across France. In total, the teams include
nearly 15,000 researchers, engineers, technicians and
administrative staff, etc. INSERM is a member of the National
Alliance for Life and Health Sciences, founded in April 2009 with
CNRS, INSERM, the CEA, INRA, INRIA, the IRD, the Pasteur Institute,
the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) and the Conference of
Chairmen of The Regional and University Hospital Centres. This
alliance forms part of the policy to reform the research system by
better coordinating the parts played by those involved and by
strengthening the position of French research in this field through
a concerted plan.
www.inserm.fr
About ANRS
Created in 1992 by the French government, the ANRS (the National
Agency of Research on AIDS and viral hepatitis) is an independent
agency of INSERM which coordinates and funds national public
research effort on AIDS and viral hepatitis. The organisation
focuses its efforts on key research areas such as vaccine research,
basic research, clinical, therapeutic and epidemiologic research,
public health as well as the human and social sciences and research
in developing countries.
www.anrs.fr
For Inserm-ANRS
Laurent Hanot
Tel: (office): +33 49 81 37 56
Email: laurent.hanot@inserm.fr
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
NRASSIFWUFISEFF
Abzena (LSE:ABZA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Abzena (LSE:ABZA)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024