MedImmune Granted Access to Pfenex Technology

Pfenex, Inc. has entered a three-year strategic collaboration with MedImmune, the global biologics business of AstraZeneca, granting MedImmune non-exclusive access to Pfenex Expression Technology and resources for the development of bioprocesses for therapeutic proteins and vaccines.

Pfenex, Inc. will engineer production strains and develop early production processes for MedImmune’s molecules. MedImmune will have access to the expression platform and process development team in an effort to enable faster preclinical and clinical development for these molecules. MedImmune will provide annual technology access fees, FTE resource funding and pre-agreed commercial license terms.

“This partnership with MedImmune will facilitate speed and reliability in the development of protein therapeutics and vaccines to serve unmet medical needs,” said Dr. Bertrand Liang, chief executive officer of Pfenex, Inc. “Integrating our efforts early will allow for the rapid progression of early stage candidate molecules through discovery and development.”

“We are very excited to initiate this collaboration with Pfenex,” said Dr. Gail Wasserman, senior vice president of Biopharmaceutical Development at MedImmune. “Their scientific approach to strain development and protein expression is robust and aligned with the way we work at MedImmune. Working collaboratively with Pfenex by harnessing their novel platform will play an important role in helping accelerate some of our early pipeline programs.”