MEDIA RELEASE PR35397
BioWa Announces License of POTELLIGENT(R) Technology to Merck KGaA
PRINCETON, N.J., July 15 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
BioWa, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a license agreement
with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, providing the global healthcare and
chemicals company with access to BioWa's POTELLIGENT(R) Technology platform
for the research, development and commercialization of their antibody
therapies with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
"We are extremely pleased about our partnership with Merck KGaA, a global
healthcare company with a strong worldwide presence," commented Dr. Masamichi
Koike, BioWa's President and CEO. "Merck KGaA's world-class R&D organization
and global market presence will enable us to promote and extend the benefit
of the technology to patients all over the world more efficiently."
Under the terms of the license agreement, BioWa grants Merck KGaA
non-exclusive rights to research, develop and commercialize therapeutic
antibodies generated through POTELLIGENT(R) Technology for an undisclosed
number of targets. In return, BioWa will receive upfront payments, and may
receive development milestone payments and royalties on products. Other
details of the agreement are not disclosed.
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(TM) platform. AccretaMab(TM)
platform consists of POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies, creating
a superior antibody molecule with enhanced ADCC and CDC activities. BioWa is
offering POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) 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(TM), and AccretaMab(TM) are the trademarks of
Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. All rights are reserved.
SOURCE: BioWa, Inc.
CONTACT: Masamichi Koike, Ph.D.,
President and CEO of BioWa, Inc.,
+1-609-580-7500
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