PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- BioWa, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with CSL Limited, providing CSL with access to BioWa's POTELLIGENT(R) Technology platform for the research and development of antibody therapeutics with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
"We are very pleased to have this opportunity to work with CSL, our first Australian partner," said Dr. Masamichi Koike, President and CEO of BioWa. "We believe that CSL's strength in biologics and significant presence in Australia and many other countries will help the technology to reach broader fields and territories."
Under the license agreement, CSL obtains non-exclusive rights to use POTELLIGENT(R) Technology platform to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize ADCC-enhanced antibodies for an undisclosed number of targets. In return, BioWa will receive upfront technology access fee, and may receive development milestone payments and royalties on products developed by CSL. Additional terms were not disclosed.
About POTELLIGENT(R) Technology
POTELLIGENT(R) Technology improves potency and efficacy of antibody therapeutics, by enhancing ADCC, one of the major mechanisms of action for antibody therapeutics. POTELLIGENT(R) Technology involves the reduction of the amount of fucose in the carbohydrate structure of an antibody using a proprietary fucosyltransferase-knockout CHO cell line as a production cell. Research shows that POTELLIGENT(R) Technology dramatically enhances ADCC activity of an antibody in vitro, and significantly increases potency and efficacy of the antibody in vivo. A number of POTELLIGENT(R) antibodies are being investigated in human clinical trials.
About BioWa, Inc.
BioWa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Japan's leading pharmaceutical and largest biotech company, and is the exclusive worldwide licensor of AccretaMab(TM) platform. AccretaMab(TM) platform consists of POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies, creating a superior antibody molecule with enhanced ADCC and CDC activities. BioWa is offering POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies to partners under a license to maximize the value of these technologies. Together with Kyowa Hakko Kirin, BioWa is focused on development of ADCC/CDC enhanced monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other life-threatening and debilitating diseases. For more information about BioWa, visit its web site at http://www.biowa.com .
POTELLIGENT(R), COMPLEGENT(TM), and AccretaMab(TM) are the trademarks of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. All rights are reserved.
