Navrogen and Lonza Pharma & Biotech have entered a licensing agreement for the production of Navrogen biotherapeutics using Lonza’s GS Xceed Expression System.
 
Navrogen recently announced funding to develop biotherapeutics targeting Humoral Immuno-Oncology (HIO) factors to reverse their inhibitory activity against the pharmacologic effects of antibody-based therapies. Navrogen’s biological drugs involve novel protein and antibody-based configurations. Lonza’s GS Xceed toolbox includes GS PiggyBac, a unique and proven transposon-based technology suited for complex protein expression and bioprocessing that preferentially targets stable regions of the genome associated with highly expressed genes. This system will play a key role in advancing Navrogen’s novel therapeutic interventions from the laboratory bench to patient’s bedside.
 
“Our collaboration with Lonza and their expertise will undoubtedly enable us to advance our pipeline of first-in-class products forward to meet our strategic initiatives and timelines,” said Nicholas Nicolaides, co-founder and chief executive officer, Navrogen. “This partnership is one of many that we have formed with top-tiered vendors who have proven track records in supporting the development of biological-based therapies to support clinical trials and commercialization.”
 
Sarah Holland, head of licensing, Lonza Pharma & Biotech, said, “Developing new technologies to enable production of increasingly complex and hard-to-express biological drugs is a priority for Lonza. Navrogen’s use of our GS PiggyBac system aligns the economics of bringing these first-in-class therapeutics to patients with current market needs.”