Lonza Group Buys AlgoNomics
Lonza Group AG (VTX: LONN) has acquired AlgoNomics NV, a Ghent, Belgium-based provider of immunogenicity screening services and tools. No financial terms were disclosed. AlgoNomics had raised a small amount of VC funding from Baekeland Fund II, Gemma Frisius Fund, TrustCapital, VIB and the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology.
PRESS RELEASE
Lonza strengthens its protein design technology offering for biopharmaceutical development by acquiring Algonomics NV (Gent, Belgium). Algonomics is a contract research organisation providing integrated immunogenicity prediction services to support companies in the development of biotherapeutics. Effective 2 November 2009 Lonza has acquired all shares of Algonomics including the proprietary Epibase, Epibase IV and Tripole technology platforms as well as the existing services business. The purchase price was not disclosed.
"The acquisition of this business is in line with our goal to offer a compelling portfolio of services and technologies for the creation, optimization and development of advanced, best in class biopharmaceuticals", said Janet White, Head of Lonza Development Services & Biologics R&D. "With the combined technologies of Lonza and Algonomics we can significantly strengthen our offering for our customers".
The Epibase and Epibase IV platforms help to provide a solution to the problems of unwanted immunogenicity seen in many biopharmaceuticals. The Tripole technology platform supports Lonza's aim to incorporate "Quality by Design" directly at the molecular level in order to improve the product quality, safety, efficacy and manufacturability of protein based drugs. In particular it adds further advanced in silico predictive services to Lonza's technology offering and complements the existing AggreSolveTM platform offered by Lonza Advanced Protein Technologies function.
Philippe Stas, CEO of Algonomics NV, said "By combining the Algonomics' immunogenicity screening platforms with Lonza's advanced protein technologies such as AggreSolveTM, a comprehensive solution is offered for the design and optimization of biologics. The integrated group will assist Lonza's business partners to generate better and more effective protein therapeutics and vaccines."
The integration of Algonomics and its workforce of 12 people will start today. Philippe Stas will join Lonza and will continue to lead the acquired business.
About Lonza
Lonza is one of the world's leading suppliers to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life science industries. Its products and services span its customers' needs from research to final product manufacture. Lonza is the global leader in the production and support of active pharmaceutical ingredients both chemically as well as biotechnologically. Biopharmaceuticals are one of the key growth drivers of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Lonza has strong capabilities in large and small molecules, peptides, amino acids and niche bioproducts which play an important role in the development of novel medicines and healthcare products. Lonza is a leader in cell-based research, endotoxin detection and cell therapy manufacturing. Lonza is also a leading provider of value chemical and biotech ingredients to the nutrition, hygiene, preservation, agro and personal care markets.
Lonza is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. In 2008, Lonza had sales of CHF 2.937 billion. Further information can be found at www.lonza.com.
About Algonomics NV
Algonomics is a Gent, Belgium-based contract research organization providing integrated immunogenicity services to support companies in the development of biotherapeutics. Algonomics' broad range of services includes specialized modelling, characterization and structure annotation studies for therapeutic proteins and antibody-based therapeutics. For more information about Algonomics visit http://www.algonomics.com.
About Epibase, Epibase IV and Tripole
Epibase is a comprehensive in silico protein immunogenicity analysis platform that can be used to screen and select lead candidates at an early stage whilst Epibase IV is an in vitro immunoprofiling platform to provide an accurate assessment of a protein's immunogenic potential and highlight immunogenicity ‘hotspots'. Tripole is a structural bioinformatics platform to assist in the reengineering of a protein to reduce immunogenicity and optimize other properties