DSM Biologics, Crucell License PER.C6 to Biotecnol

DSM Biologics, a business unit of DSM Pharmaceutical Products, and Dutch biotechnology partner, Crucell, have signed a PER.C6 license agreement with Biotecnol SA, a Portuguese biotechnology company and its U.S.-based subsidiary Biotecnol, Inc. This license agreement allows Biotecnol to use the PER.C6 human cell line for preclinical and Phase I development of its proprietary antibody products, which are composed of Tribodies and Compact Antibodies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Biotecnol will make license payments and annual maintenance fees in exchange for certain rights. Financial details were not disclosed.

“In our opinion, the PER.C6 human cell line is now an established technology. We believe that by adopting the PER.C6 production platform, we will be able to develop our products in a robust, cost efficient and most importantly, in a timely way, due to its characteristics and ease of manipulation. We are keen and committed in adopting this proven and exciting platform for pushing our products into the latter stages of development,” commented Pedro de Noronha Pissarra, chief executive officer of Biotecnol.

“We are very pleased that Biotecnol enters the expanding group of PER.C6 licensees. Biotecnol is the first licensee from the emerging Iberian biotechnology region. We look forward to helping Biotecnol achieve its development goals for their pipeline of innovative products,” commented Terry Novak, business director and chief marketing officer at DSM Biologics.

“We are truly delighted by the completion of this important deal,” said Arthur Lahr, Crucell’s chief strategy officer and executive president responsible for sales and business development. “The deal provides further industrial-leading approval for the use of PER.C6 technology in the development and large scale manufacturing of biologics.”