ProBioGen AG and Vaccitech, Ltd. have signed a license agreement under which Vaccitech will gain access to ProBioGen’s technology platform based on the AGE1.CR duck retina cell line for production of its viral vectored vaccines. Earlier work leading to the license confirmed that the AGE1.CR duck cell technology allows large-scale manufacturing with higher production yields and lower cost of goods compared to other poxvirus production technologies.  
 
ProBioGen’s chief scientific officer, Dr. Volker Sandig said, “We have developed the AGE1.CR designer cell line, the chemically defined media and the process over many years, and have solved the main challenges for the production of highly attenuated poxvirus vectors. We are very pleased to see a strong industry demand for our platform and are convinced that Vaccitech’s highly innovative vaccine approach will greatly benefit from it.”
 
Vaccitech’s chief executive officer, Dr. Thomas G. Evans, said, “We are delighted to work with ProBioGen and manufacture our innovative, universal flu vaccine, VTP-100, on the novel AGE1.CR.pIX duck cell line. Both safety and immunogenicity profiles of VTP-100 manufactured on the AGE1.CR.pIX duck cell line are comparable to those manufactured on CEF, used in previous trials. These positive results support AGE1.CR.pIX-based manufacture of the vaccine for future clinical studies.”