NEC Bio Enter Collaboration with AGC Biologics on Personalized Cancer Vaccines
Thursday, August 08, 2024
NEC Bio Therapeutics has teamed up with AGC Biologics to boost the production of NECVAX-NEO1, an oral, bacteria-based DNA vaccine targeting patient-specific tumour neoantigens.
The partnership between NEC Bio Therapeutics and AGC Biologics will initially focus on clinical development and GMP-compliant manufacturing in Germany. Both companies have strategically positioned teams in Heidelberg and Mannheim, promoting a collaborative environment to advance this critical initiative.
This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable personalised cancer vaccines to patients. It underscores our dedication to improving global health outcomes in the oncology field.
NEC Bio Therapeutics focuses on the clinical development of innovative drugs using proprietary AI technology. NECVAX-NEO1, their personalised cancer vaccine, employs advanced AI/machine learning to target unique tumour neoantigens for each patient. The vaccine utilises a versatile bacteria-based platform and is convenient for patients due to its oral delivery. Unlike traditional treatments, NECVAX-NEO1 requires specialised manufacturing and is produced cost-effectively through microbial fermentation on a small scale with a quick turnaround time.
Personalised medicines have the potential to revolutionise how treatments address specific traits of a disease in a patient, improving their quality of life. The Heidelberg site is proud to support NEC Bio Therapeutics in combining AI and machine learning with traditional biologics and personalised care.
Phase 1/2 clinical trials for NECVAX-NEO1 are scheduled to commence in 2024 and 2025, involving cancer patients. These trials will be pivotal in validating the efficacy and safety of this novel treatment, potentially offering new hope to many individuals battling cancer.
AGC Biologics is well-positioned to support the supply chain needs of NECVAX-NEO1, ensuring timely delivery for clinical trials. As a global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), AGC Biologics will utilise its Heidelberg facility in Germany, which boasts nearly 40 years of microbial fermentation expertise. They will handle the technology transfer, implementation and qualification of analytical methods, preparation for large-scale clinical manufacturing, engineering and batch execution with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and drug product release testing.
AGC Biologics provides comprehensive services for protein biologics, cell and gene therapies, plasmid DNA, and messenger RNA, with operations in Europe, North America, and Japan.
Source: nec.com
