MEDIA RELEASE PR36609
BioWa and NKTT Announce Licensing of BioWa's POTELLIGENT(R) Technology For Use in
Antibody Research and Development
PRINCETON, N.J. and WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
BioWa, Inc. (BioWa) and NKT Therapeutics, Inc. (NKTT), announced today
that they have entered into an agreement which provides NKTT with access to
BioWa's patented POTELLIGENT(R) Technology platform for the development of
antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) enhanced antibodies.
The agreement grants NKTT non-exclusive rights to research,
develop, manufacture and commercialize antibodies targeting natural killer T
(NKT) cells that incorporate BioWa technology. NKT cells are a rare but
central component of the human immune system, which play a pivotal role in
human health and disease. In return, BioWa will receive an upfront payment,
development milestone payments and royalties on products. Other details of
the agreement are not disclosed.
"We are excited that we have been able to partner with a small
venture backed company like NKT Therapeutics. In large part, our decision to
partner with NKTT was driven by our interest in NKTT's cell biology and
exciting product programs," said Dr. Masamichi Koike, President and CEO of
BioWa. "We were able to reach an arrangement that works for a small company
like NKTT."
"We believe that the collaboration with BioWa, Inc. will
accelerate our development activities in therapeutic antibodies targeting NKT
cells, a field that is expected to be a potentially important source of new
medicines to satisfy unmet medical needs," said Robert Mashal, M.D.,
President and CEO of NKTT. "We are pleased with BioWa's flexibility to adapt
its normal business terms to make this collaboration possible."
About POTELLIGENT(R) Technology
POTELLIGENT(R) Technology improves potency and efficacy of antibody
therapeutics, by enhancing ADCC, one of the major mechanisms of action for
antibody therapeutics. POTELLIGENT(R) Technology involves the reduction of
the amount of fucose in the carbohydrate structure of an antibody using a
proprietary fucosyltransferase-knockout CHO cell line as a production cell.
Research shows that POTELLIGENT(R) Technology dramatically enhances ADCC
activity of an antibody in vitro, and significantly increases potency and
efficacy of the antibody in vivo. A number of POTELLIGENT(R) antibodies are
being investigated in human clinical trials.
About BioWa, Inc.
BioWa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co.,
Ltd., Japan's leading pharmaceutical and largest biotech company, and is the
exclusive worldwide licensor of AccretaMab(R) platform. AccretaMab(R)
platform consists of POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(R) Technologies, creating
a superior antibody molecule with enhanced ADCC and CDC activities. BioWa is
offering POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(R) Technologies to partners under a
license to maximize the value of these technologies. Together with Kyowa
Hakko Kirin, BioWa is committed to promote ADCC/CDC enhanced monoclonal
antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other life-threatening and
debilitating diseases. For more information about BioWa, visit its web site
POTELLIGENT(R), COMPLEGENT(R), and AccretaMab(R) are the
trademarks of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. All rights are reserved.
About NKT Therapeutics
NKT Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology
company focused on developing therapeutics based on unique immune cells
called natural killer T (NKT) cells. The company's mission is to use its
expertise to develop a pipeline of first-in-class NKT-based therapeutics to
treat asthma, cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and
dermatitis. For more information about NKTT, visit its web site at
SOURCE: BioWa, Inc.
CONTACT: Robert Mashal of NKT Therapeutics,
+1-781-684-0290,
info@nktrx.com;
or Joan Kureczka of Kureczka/Martin Associates,
+1-415-821-2413,
Jkureczka@comcast.net;
or Masamichi Koike, Ph.D.,
President and CEO of BioWa, Inc.,
+1-609-580-7500
Translations:
NEWS 
