Kymab secures $100m and two new Chinese backers

25-Nov-2016 - Last updated on 25-Nov-2016 at 08:03 GMT

Cytovance facility in Oklahoma City, US likely to play role in production of Kymab mAbs (source Google images)

Related tags China Monoclonal antibodies

Antibody developer Kymab has secured $100m from existing backers and new China-based investors Hepalink and ORI Healthcare Fund.

Kymab will use the funds to pay for development of its therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAb) the first of which, the Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) candidate KY1005, is due to enter clinical trials in 2017.

Hepalink is a Shenzhen, China-based supplier of heparin sodium active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). It entered the large molecule sector last year when it acquired Cytovance Biologics for $206m (€183m).

Through Cytovance, Hepalink operates a mammalian and microbial cell development and manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City, US.

Kymab CEO, David Chiswell told us “Hepalink has a biological strategy and are actively developing antibodies for the Chinese market in addition they have antibody manufacturing facilities in the US.

“We hope to collaborate together in the future either through using their manufacturing facilities in the US or developing some of our antibodies in China. Ori Fund have a large network in China and we will work with them to leverage their expertise.”

China, where both Hepalink and ORI are based, is a key market for UK-based Kymab according to Chiswell.

“Since Kymab was established, we have been targeting the Chinese market we have a network of contacts in the region who understand and appreciate the power of our platform.”