Biovitrum in manufacturing deal with Resistentia

Biopharmaceutical firm Biovitrum, listed on the Stockholm, Sweden, Stock Exchange since September 15, has entered an agreement with the Uppsala-based biotechnology company Resistentia Pharmaceuticals AB for process development and manufacturing of the substance RES 08, intended for use in Phase III clinical trials of the latter's new protein-based drug candidate for the treatment of allergy.

With the onset of an allergic reaction, allergy antibodies (IgE, immunoglobulin E, a specific protein in our immune system) are formed against a specific substance, for example pollen, dust, etc. Resistentia has developed a protein-based drug candidate that blocks the effect of IgE preventing an allergic reaction. RES 08 is a recombinant fusion protein (a protein with a compound structure produced by biotechnical methods) that initially is intended for the treatment of IgE-mediated allergies.

Biovitrum's assignment is to develop the existing process for the biotechnical manufacturing of RES 08 to a standard that meets the high demands of a Phase III trial, and furthermore to manufacture sufficient amounts of the substance for the study. The project will run for more than two years, beginning this month.