AppTec To Manufacture Chromos’ MS drug

Chromos Molecular Systems has signed a contract with AppTec Laboratory Services for scale-up and manufacture of its monoclonal antibody drug product candidate CHR-1103. Chromos used its proprietary ACE System to engineer cell lines for CHR-1103. AppTec will scale up and manufacture CHR-1103 for use in preclinical toxicology studies and Phase I trials.

“This contract is an important step forward in the development of CHR-1103,” said Alistair Duncan, president and chief executive officer of Chromos. “We are pleased to use our team’s proven expertise in cell line engineering with the ACE System to develop our product candidates cost effectively and to work in partnership with AppTec to manufacture this innovative treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).”

CHR-1103 is a humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of inflammatory disease and is being developed initially to treat acute flares associated with relapsing forms of MS. Chromos plans to file an IND application for CHR-1103 in 2007. The company’s second product candidate, CHR-1201, is being developed to treat acute thrombosis and offers the possibility of effective treatment of thrombosis involving the brain without the risk of bleeding.