AffyXell Therapeutics, a joint venture between Avacta and Daewoong Pharmaceutical, has entered into a collaboration agreement with Biocytogen, a Chinese company specialising in developing new biological drugs, and the Korea Non-Clinical Technology Solution Center (KNTSC), according to Avacta Group, a clinical-stage oncology drug company.
The partnership will focus on the development of new immunological illness in vivo models as well as proof-of-concept and toxicity assessment of AffyXell’s therapeutic candidates utilising the disease models created.
Biocytogen’s gene-editing platform, which develops mouse models capable of manufacturing human antibodies, will benefit these models.
The alliance aims to improve AffyXell’s programme translation into human trials and speed up medication development.
KNTSC’s involvement in the partnership is to provide pre-clinical trial infrastructure and management.
AffyXell was formed in January 2020 as a joint venture between Avacta and Daewoong to explore innovative mesenchymal stem cell therapeutics.
AffyXell is merging Avacta’s Affimer platform with Daewoong’s mesenchymal stem cell platform to genetically modify stem cells so that they can manufacture and secrete therapeutic Affimer proteins in the patient.
The Affimer proteins are meant to boost the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells, resulting in a cutting-edge cell therapy platform.
Dr Alastair Smith, CEO of Avacta stated, “The quality of pre-clinical disease models and their ability to translate into humans is critical for reducing risk and timelines associated with drug development. This collaboration has the potential to significantly accelerate AffyXell’s programmes.”
“We expect this contract to allow Affyxell to exert a synergistic effect on developing next-generation cell gene therapy for overcoming immune diseases based on our non-clinical animal model development and non-clinical experimental know-how related to immune diseases,” added Biocytogen CEO, Yuelei Shen.
Avacta shares rose 17% to 103p after the company announced its joint venture Affyxell enter into an agreement with Biocytogen and KNTSC.