Abzena plc provides proprietary technologies and complementary services to enable the development and manufacture of biopharmaceutical products. Biopharmaceuticals are protein based drugs and include antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, therapeutic proteins and peptides. ABZENA Inside products are biopharmaceutical products that incorporate one or more of Abzena’s proprietary technologies, and include 12 in clinical trials for indications including gastric cancer, cystic fibrosis, myelodysplastic syndrome, diabetic nephropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegenerative conditions, antibody-driven diseases, Sickle cell disease and antibody driven diseases. Its customers include 18 of the top 25 biopharmaceutical companies [1].
The company offers services across biology, chemistry and manufacturing including cell line development in Cambridge UK, and San Diego USA:
- Biology research studies, including immunogenicity assessment and bioassay development
- Humanized antibodies and deimmunised therapeutic proteins
- Cell line development for the manufacture of biologics and biosimilars
- Contract process development and GMP manufacture of biopharmaceuticals
- Contract synthetic chemistry and bioconjugation research services, focused on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)
- Proprietary ASC site-specific conjugation technologies and novel payloads
- GMP manufacturer of ADC linkers, payloads & combined linker-payloads
- GMP analytical services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing projects
Abzena offers master and working cell bank generation and storage and characterisation in its cGMP production area in 100, 200 and 300 vial configurations. The company has recently signed an agreement to access a major undisclosed cell line depository [2]. The agreement will allow Abzena to access to cell lines representing multiple different species, tissue types and genetic disorders. The lengthy process of negotiating individual cell line licences is no longer needed. Abzena predicts that this will lead to a more streamlined development of specialised bioassays for its customers’ novel biologic drug candidates.
“Securing access to this cell bank will be a major benefit to both us and our customers. We will be able to offer broader capabilities for evaluating and testing our customers’ drug candidates to help advance the next generation of biopharmaceuticals.” – Dr. Campbell Bunce, SVP, Scientific Operations.
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