ProMetic Life Sciences, Inc.’s UK subsidiary, ProMetic Biosciences, Ltd. (PBL), has entered into an agreement with Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics to develop a synthetic-ligand affinity adsorbent for the purification of a recombinant protein vaccine. Under the terms of the agreement PBL will receive funding from Novartis to screen its Chemical Combinatorial Libraries for ligands suitable for the process scale purification of a new vaccine product by Novartis currently undergoing clinical trials. The work will be conducted at PBL’s research laboratories at the Cambridge Science Park, UK. Financial details were not disclosed.

According to Dr. Steve Burton, chief executive officer of PBL, “We are proud to have been selected by Novartis for this exciting project. This latest agreement is further recognition of PBL’s prominence and successful track record in the development of affinity ligand products for bioprocess applications.”