Switzerland: Lonza to optimise anti-CD28 therapeutic for graft rejection

Collaboration agreement

TcL Pharma, a spin-out from ITERT (the Institute of Transplantation and Transplantation Research) based in Nantes, in France, has signed a development and manufacture agreement with the Swiss pharmaceutical company Lonza. TcL Pharma will use Lonza’s proprietary microbial expression technologies to develop microbial strains for the optimal use of TcL Pharma’s monoclonal PEGylated anti-CD28 in the prevention of graft rejection and the treatment of autoimmune disease.

As a result of this collaborarion TcL Pharma’s proprietary anti-CD28 antibody will be optimised to prevent autoimmune reactions such as graft rejection. The antibody works by antagonising CD28 receptors on T cells by binding to it in the place of its endogenous ligand CD28.

In the initial phase of the project, Lonza will use its proprietary E.coli expression technology to develop and bulk produce the microbial strains that will be used in phase I clinical trials to test the efficiency of TcL Pharma’s anti-CD28 Fab in the prevention of graft rejection and the treatment of autoimmune disease.

Maryvonne Hiance, of TcL Pharma, said: “We chose Lonza for their extensive know-how and experience in the development and scale-up of microbial biopharmaceuticals. We look forward to working with such a trusted name in custom manufacturing and are confident that it will lead to positive results.”

Stephan Kutzer, of Lonza, said: “We are looking forward to a long-standing relationship with a promising innovative company developing new therapies for patients in need.”