Date: Mar 09, 2009 Source: Business Wire (
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EMERYVILLE, Calif. & AUCKLAND, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Origen Therapeutics of Emeryville, California and Genavia Therapeutics of Auckland, New Zealand today announced an agreement granting Genavia access to Origen's transgenic technology for the production of therapeutic proteins in chicken eggs. The patent-protected technology has been shown capable of producing in egg whites high-value therapeutic proteins that are currently produced by expensive cell culture manufacturing processes. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
"If successfully developed, this effort is likely to result in an early commercial application of Origen's proprietary technology. We look forward to working together with Genavia to develop products that bring meaningful benefits to the haemophilia community."
Genavia will initially apply the avian transgenic technology to produce human Factor VIII (FVIII). FVIII is an essential clotting factor and is missing in the blood of haemophilia A patients. Therapy for haemophilia is based on chronic replacement of the missing protein by regular intravenous administration of replacement protein, currently produced through cell culture technology or through extraction from donated human blood.
"Genavia is the sort of innovative and dynamic market focused company we were looking for to bring products from our broad-based technology platform to market," said Robert Kay, Origen's Chief Executive Officer. "If successfully developed, this effort is likely to result in an early commercial application of Origen's proprietary technology. We look forward to working together with Genavia to develop products that bring meaningful benefits to the haemophilia community."
"This partnership is yet another example of New Zealand's biotechnology industry seeing an opportunity and taking a global view to solve a serious problem," said Genavia's Chief Operating Officer Peter Bradley. "Origen's technology is truly innovative and by significantly lowering the cost of FVIII production, could help to substantially improve the lives of haemophiliacs the world over."
Under the terms of the agreement, Genavia will have rights to use Origen's technology to develop, manufacture and market FVIII and may elect to use the technology for FVII and FIX. Origen will receive equity in Genavia, royalties and milestone payments.
In the United States, the cost of FVIII treatment can be up to US$200,000 per year, most of which comes from the cost of the drug. In 2008 worldwide sales of FVIII were over US$5 billion. Largely as a result of the cost, the majority of the world's haemophilia patients remain largely under served with the World Federation of Haemophilia estimating that 75% of the world's haemophiliacs are not treated. Genavia Therapeutics' novel approach to the production of these complex proteins will result in the ability to produce the required product much more economically; Genavia believes that by producing FVIII using the Origen avian transgenic technology, the cost of treatment might be reduced to as little as 20% of the current market price.
Origen scientists first demonstrated the potential for the production of human protein therapeutics in chicken eggs in August 2005, when company scientists published in Nature Biotechnology. The proteins are developed in egg whites, and not in the yolk where embryos develop. Origen subsequently published research in June 2006 in Nature demonstrating its ability to make modifications to the chicken genome and create transgenic chickens by introducing the desired new genetic elements into primordial germ cells, the precursor cells to sperm and eggs.
About Genavia Therapeutics
Genavia Therapeutics is a private Auckland-based, biotechnology company, founded in 2008, that is focused on developing economical therapeutic solutions to many conditions that are currently underserved by the existing therapeutic options. The company is initially focusing on the production of Factor VIII for the treatment of Haemophilia A, but plans to address other high-value products as opportunities present themselves. Genavia plans to partner with existing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to deliver its products to a global market.
About Origen Therapeutics
Origen Therapeutics, headquartered in Emeryville, CA, is a privately held biotechnology company developing product opportunities from their avian transgenic platform. The company's mission is to become a leading developer and producer of complex recombinant protein therapeutics, including human polyclonal antibodies. Origen is establishing corporate alliances with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for the commercialization of its technology.
Contacts
Genavia Therapeutics Ltd
Peter Bradley, +64 21 549 437
Chief Operating Officer
or
Origen Therapeutics, Inc.
Bob Kay, +1-510-597-5140
Chief Executive
or
Kureczka/Martin Associates
Joan Kureczka, +1-415-821-2413 (Media)
JKureczka@comcast.net
