LELYSTAD and 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, The Netherlands, April 28, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepscan, the Netherlands based biotechnology firm focusing on protein mimicking technology for the generation of immune therapeutics, today announced that it reached a partnering agreement for its therapeutic vaccine portfolio with Immunovo BV of 's-Hertogenbosch. Under the terms of the agreement Pepscan will receive an undisclosed cash payment as well as a minority interest in Immunovo.
"Pepscan has recently refocused its R&D program on the application of its proprietary CLIPSTM protein mimicry technology for the generation of monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic peptides", said Wim Mol, CEO of Pepscan. "The agreement with Immunovo allows Pepscan to fully concentrate its resources on a focused execution of its research program. We consider Immunovo as an ideal partner to enhance the value of the therapeutic vaccine portfolio we have developed over the years."
"We are very pleased with the partnership with Pepscan on the therapeutic vaccine portfolio" said Joost van Bree, CEO of Immunovo. "Pepscan created a rich development pipeline of therapeutic vaccines, of which the most advanced product is in Phase II clinical development. We are confident that with our specific expertise we will be able to expedite the development of this portfolio, which also includes a proprietary anti-VEGF-A vaccine that could be useful for the treatment of certain cancers."
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About Pepscan
Pepscan Holding NV is a privately owned company based in Lelystad, the Netherlands. The company focuses on protein mimicking technology for the generation of therapeutic peptides and antibodies. It has developed a pipeline of therapeutic vaccine and antibody programs, of which the most advanced is in Phase II clinical testing. Pepscans proprietary CLIPSTM technology has been proven to yield functional antibodies reactive with a range of complex proteins, including GPCRs. For more information visit http://www.pepscan.com.
About CLIPSTM technology
CLIPSTM (Chemical LInkage of Peptides onto Scaffolds) is a technology to present one or more peptides in a structurally constrained configuration. These molecules behave as functional mimics of complex protein domains and hitherto have been used in antibody and vaccine programs to create superior immunogens in the induction and selection of antibodies against disease relevant protein targets. This is especially valuable in the case of proteins that are inaccessible as recombinant proteins (e.g. GPCRs, ion channels, patented proteins).
About Immunovo
Immunovo BV is a privately owned company, based in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. The company focuses on immune-mediated inhibition of extracellular signal transduction. Apart from a pipeline of immunotherapeutics, Immunovo has developed proprietary immunostimulatory technology that is unique in combining a high efficacy with a favourable safety profile. For more information visit http://www.immunovo.com.
SOURCE Pepscan Holding N.V.