CEVEC and BioLamina Combine Technology

CEVEC Pharmaceuticals GmbH and BioLamina AB have formed a collaboration for the commercial production of research grade and clinical grade laminins for ex vivo cell culture applications using CEVEC’s proprietary CAP Go technology, which, according to the company, is optimal for the production of these otherwise difficult to produce recombinant glycoproteins.

CEVEC will provide its expertise in process development as well as its competence in GMP production, in collaboration with its joint venture partner GenIbet, of selected laminins based on the company’s proprietary CAP Go technology. This joined competence embraces cell line and process development, GMP cell banking and GMP production including fill and finish. CEVEC retains the rights to develop laminins for therapeutic use and grants BioLamina an exclusive license for the commercialization of CAP Go based laminins patented by BioLamina for ex vivo cell culture therapies. The first laminin, Laminin-521, which is used to proliferate stem cells without causing genomic abnormalities, will be launched in 2016.

BioLamina focuses on research and development, to understand how laminins can be used to deplete technical problems associated in primary cell culture as well as on global sales and marketing of the commercially produced and finished products through its direct sales force and network of distributors. In this long-term strategic cooperation, BioLamina plans to initially add up to six new variants of laminins to its leading portfolio of recombinant laminins to enable cell culture of an accelerating range of human cell types with increased reliability and quality.

“The agreement with BioLamina is again an endorsement of our CAP Go expression platform and represents a further milestone in our strategy to continuously open up new areas for our technology. It also marks the transition of the company towards a Center of Expertise in tailor-made glycosylation of recombinant proteins,” said Frank Ubags, chief executive officer, CEVEC Pharmaceuticals GmbH.

“CEVEC’s CAP(R)Go technology and their expertise in cell line development, process development and manufacturing is crucial for us to meet the increasing demand of LN-521 as well as changing the laminin production process to meet regulatory guidelines for clinical use in advanced cell therapies,” said Kristian Tryggvason, chief executive officer, BioLamina AB.