Lonza, Genmab Extend Drug Development Partnership

On Oct. 14, 2019, Lonza announced an extension to its partnership with Genmab, a Denmark-based biotechnology company specializing in antibody therapeutics for cancer, to cover preclinical and clinical development and manufacturing for a significant portion of Genmab’s pipeline. Lonza’s Ibex Solutions in Visp, Switzerland, is designed to provide Genmab with the flexibility and speed needed to take candidates towards investigational new drug application (IND) filing and commercialization.

Genmab and Lonza have a longstanding relationship, having worked together on multiple antibody-based programs since 2002.

Lonza’s Ibex Design offering enables Genmab to take their candidates from gene to IND in 12 months and then move to reserved manufacturing capacity in Ibex Develop for clinical manufacturing and biologics license application submission when Genmab needs it. The agreement aims to provide Genmab with security of supply and to enable Genmab to move rapidly into clinical manufacturing with the flexibility needed to manage an extensive pipeline through the demands of clinical trials.

The new agreement will cover development and clinical manufacturing of drug substance and drug product for certain programs in Genmab’s pre-clinical and clinical pipeline. These include more complex molecular formats developed using Genmab’s DuoBody technology.

“Extending this trusted relationship with Genmab is a great motivation for our teams who have been working together for a number of years. Genmab’s extensive pipeline is an opportunity for us to combine the speed and flexibility of our Ibex Solutions with the know-how needed to manufacture pioneering molecular formats,” said Karen Fallen, head of Mammalian and Microbial Development and Manufacturing, Lonza Pharma & Biotech, in a company press release.

Source: Lonza