CMIC and JSR to Form a Joint Venture for the Development of Next-Generation Antibodies
In a Project to Establish Expertise for Discovering and Manufacturing Next-Generation Antibodies
06/30/2014
CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “CMIC”; Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Chairman & CEO: Kazuo Nakamura) and JSR Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “JSR”; Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Mitsunobu Koshiba) have agreed to form a joint venture named CMIC JSR Biologics Co., Ltd. JSR will make a 50% investment in CMIC Biologics Co., Ltd., which was established on March 4, 2014 as a subsidiary wholly owned by CMIC, to form the new venture company.
In recent years, the mainstream of new drug development has shifted dramatically from low molecular weight compounds to biologics, such as therapeutic antibodies. Antibody drugs account for a particularly large proportion of anticancer drugs and autoimmune disease drugs. Especially, next-generation polyspecific antibodies* with high target selectivity have received considerable attention and many research and development projects are being conducted worldwide. However, there are no standardized processes for designing and manufacturing these antibodies yet.
Accordingly, the newly formed joint venture will focus on the development of design and manufacturing processes for next-generation polyspecific antibodies using three different types of seeds for next-generation polyspecific antibodies that are owned by the University of Tokyo and Tohoku University, and the development of methods for the management and quality control of these processes.
The aim of the new joint venture is to develop design and manufacturing processes for next-generation antibodies that are globally competitive, by combining CMIC’s technologies related to the development, manufacturing and quality control of pharmaceuticals, JSR’s cutting-edge antibody purification technology, and the two universities’ advanced antibody analysis technology.
This project has been embraced by the 2014 NexTEP (Industry and Academia Joint Practical Development Project) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
CMIC and JSR intend to use know-how that will be acquired through this project to globally provide research and manufacturing support services as well as to supply process materials for discovery research and manufacturing of next-generation antibodies. We hope to thereby contribute to the development of next-generation antibodies throughout the world.
* Polyspecific antibodies
Special antibodies binding to multiple antigens. A polyspecific antibody molecule has a heterogeneous binding site in it. Polyspecific antibodies are expected to be applied to next-generation therapeutics and immunodiagnostics. They are produced by chemical synthesis or cell fusion. For reasons such as low yield and difficulties in quality control, there are still many issues to be addressed before commercialization.
Project scheme
Overview of CMIC JSR Biologics Co., Ltd.
CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.
The CMIC Group provides services to support mainly the development and also the manufacturing, sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products, health information to general consumers, services to help pharmaceutical companies develop their own diagnostics and orphan drugs, and a comprehensive range of other services.
For details, please visit http://www.cmic-holdings.co.jp/e/.
In recent years, the mainstream of new drug development has shifted dramatically from low molecular weight compounds to biologics, such as therapeutic antibodies. Antibody drugs account for a particularly large proportion of anticancer drugs and autoimmune disease drugs. Especially, next-generation polyspecific antibodies* with high target selectivity have received considerable attention and many research and development projects are being conducted worldwide. However, there are no standardized processes for designing and manufacturing these antibodies yet.
Accordingly, the newly formed joint venture will focus on the development of design and manufacturing processes for next-generation polyspecific antibodies using three different types of seeds for next-generation polyspecific antibodies that are owned by the University of Tokyo and Tohoku University, and the development of methods for the management and quality control of these processes.
The aim of the new joint venture is to develop design and manufacturing processes for next-generation antibodies that are globally competitive, by combining CMIC’s technologies related to the development, manufacturing and quality control of pharmaceuticals, JSR’s cutting-edge antibody purification technology, and the two universities’ advanced antibody analysis technology.
This project has been embraced by the 2014 NexTEP (Industry and Academia Joint Practical Development Project) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
CMIC and JSR intend to use know-how that will be acquired through this project to globally provide research and manufacturing support services as well as to supply process materials for discovery research and manufacturing of next-generation antibodies. We hope to thereby contribute to the development of next-generation antibodies throughout the world.
* Polyspecific antibodies
Special antibodies binding to multiple antigens. A polyspecific antibody molecule has a heterogeneous binding site in it. Polyspecific antibodies are expected to be applied to next-generation therapeutics and immunodiagnostics. They are produced by chemical synthesis or cell fusion. For reasons such as low yield and difficulties in quality control, there are still many issues to be addressed before commercialization.
Project scheme
Overview of CMIC JSR Biologics Co., Ltd.
| Venture company’s name: | CMIC JSR Biologics Co., Ltd. |
| Representative: | President Hiroshi Kosaku |
| Location of head office: | Kongo Bldg., 7-10-4 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo |
| Investment date: | July 1, 2014 |
| Capital: | 10 million yen |
CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.
The CMIC Group provides services to support mainly the development and also the manufacturing, sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products, health information to general consumers, services to help pharmaceutical companies develop their own diagnostics and orphan drugs, and a comprehensive range of other services.
For details, please visit http://www.cmic-holdings.co.jp/e/.