BioWa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin, and Lonza, a biotechnology company, have entered into a licensing agreement with MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.
MedImmune has licensed the companies' POTELLIGENT CHOK1SV cell line technology for use in multiple proprietary antibodies in its pipeline.
POTELLIGENT CHOK1SV is a host cell line for manufacturing recombinant antibodies that combines the power of BioWa's engineered glycosylation POTELLIGENT technology with the advantages of Lonza's industry leading GS gene expression system.
The GS system includes Lonza's pre-eminent host cell line, CHOK1SV. POTELLIGENT technology is designed to improve the potency and efficacy of therapeutic antibodies by enhancing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), one of the major mechanisms of therapeutic antibodies.
MedImmune entered into a previous licensing agreement with BioWa in 2007 for POTELLIGENT technology. Today's agreement incorporates Lonza's technology to the existing POTELLIGENT technology.
BioWa president and CEO Dr Yasunori Yamaguchi said: "We are very pleased to extend our relationship with MedImmune, a global biologics company who has recognized the core value of POTELLIGENT Technology for the development of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity enhanced antibodies."
The POTELLIGENT CHOK1SV Cell Line retains the features of a high-producing cell line (robust, high-yielding, scalable), with the advantage of a proven bioprocess platform for the CHOK1SV cell line.
Antibodies produced by this cell line exhibit enhanced ADCC and can exert potent cytotoxic effects even when their target antigen is low. In addition, they work in whole blood and retain all other desirable features of common antibodies.
The POTELLIGENT CHOK1SV cell line is available under a license agreement with Lonza and BioWa.
