Transgene and ProBioGen forge partnership
The Strasbourg-based biotech company Transgene and the Berlin-based CDMO ProBioGen have entered into a licensing agreement to collaboratively advance the development of individualised cancer vaccines.
Transgene (Strasbourg, France) specialises in designing and developing targeted immunotherapies and oncolytic viruses for cancer treatment. One of the approaches is the myvac® platform, which uses a viral vector tailored to specific genetic mutations found in a patient’s tumor. Once administered, the therapy is designed to activate a broad immune response against multiple cancer targets.
ProBioGen AG (Berlin, Germany) is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) and technology provider. In addition to cell line engineering, the spin-off of the Charité hospital offers process development and biopharmaceutical manufacturing services. Through the new licensing agreement, Transgene aims to leverage ProBioGen’s AGE1.CR.pIX® suspension cell line, which is already used in multiple late-stage clinical trials. This cell line grows in suspension and has been optimized for viral vaccine production and genetic stability. The partnership aims to improve the scalability and efficiency of manufacturing processes, facilitating the large-scale production of individualized cancer vaccines.
“We are delighted to embark on this collaborative journey with ProBioGen,” said Alessandro Riva, CEO of Transgene. “The AGE1.CR.pIX suspension cell line represents a significant addition to further expand the manufacturing processes for our individualised cancer vaccines while we work towards providing patients with tailored patient-specific therapies against cancer on a larger scale.”
“Our collaboration holds immense potential to impact the personalized vaccine space and to offer new treatments and hope to cancer patients,” adds Volker Sandig, CSO of ProBioGen.