ProBioGen to make ADCC-enhanced cancer stem cell mAb for Chiome

The firms have signed a service and license agreement, under which therapeutic glycoprotein-focused ProBioGen will apply its cancer killing technology – GlymaxX – to Chiome’s monoclonal antibody (mAb) to develop an enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) cell line.

“ProBioGen will develop a stable GlymaxX cell line, followed by process development and GMP ​[good manufacturing practice] manufacturing of the ADCC-enhanced cancer stem cell antibody, which will be optimised for ADCC cancer cell-killing activity,” ​said ProBioGen.

GlymaxX​

ProBioGen’s GlymaxX technology – designed to boost the ADCC activity of antibodies – modifies the glycostructure of Immunoglobulin G (IgG1) antibodies.

According to the German-based firm, this enhances the antibodies’ bond to natural killer (NK) cells, and consequently boosts the ADCC response in potency assays.

LIV-1205​

Chiome’s mAb LIV-1205 is designed to target cell surface antigen DLK-1.

“DLK is expected to control the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells, progenitor cells, and other immature cells,” ​said the Japan-based firm.

LIV-1205 has shown anti-tumour activity in various cancer models, and is expected to perform well in clinical trials will minimal side effects, said Chiome.

Chiome said the antibody “exhibited a noticeable inhibitory effect on tumour growth when administered alone using animal model,” ​and as part of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), it demonstrated internalisation activity within targeted cells.

‘Business footprint’​

ProBioGen’s VP of business development Grabriele Schneider said the agreement boosts the firm’s ‘business footprint’ in Japan, and will increase revenue via milestone payments.

“We will get revenues from performing services for Chiome (stable cell line development until GMP production) as well as milestone license payments,” ​she told us.

Schneider said ProBioGen is impressed by Chiome’s mAb pipeline, and interested in cancer stem cell development.

“They ​[Chiome] are good people with a promising mAb pipeline and have their own smart mAb discovery platform,” ​she told us.

“They came over from Japan to Berlin to visit us, see the team and the facility, and we think cancer stem cells is a hot topic,” ​she added.

GlymaxX & Big Pharma​

Schneider told us Boehringer Ingleheim, Novartis and Thermo Fisher Scientific have all licensed the GlymaxX technology.

“Boehringer Ingelheim has taken a license for its own mAb pipeline and has modified its BI-HEX platform to offer ADCC-enhanced mAbs in its CMO business,” ​said Schneider.

“Novartis took a license and modified its CHO expression platform. ThermoFisher Scientific modified a protein, and a good number of other non-disclosed biotech and pharma companies licensed GlymaxX as well,” ​she told us.