Goodwin Biotechnology and Rafagen team on cell line manufacturing

25-May-2011 - Last updated on 26-May-2011 at 08:14 GMT

Florida-based contract manufacturing organisation (CMO), Goodwin Biotechnology (GBI), has entered into an agreement with protein and monoclonal antibody drug developer, Rafagen, to provide cell line engineering and biological contract manufacturing services.

Part of the India-based Wallace Group, GBI specialises in manufacturing monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, and vaccines. According to Rafagen co-founder, president, and CEO, Sung Ho Hahm, this makes it a perfect partner for the Maryland-based company as they join forces to expedite the development of superior recombinant proteins and peptides.

“We seek to address unmet needs of patients with inherited and acquired diseases,” said Hahm.

“With Rafagen’s proprietary technology platforms, the highest producing cell lines will be established at a fraction of the time currently required. This translates the promise of science into tangible therapies that restore health and save lives.”

Collaboration

Soo Young Lee, senior vice president at GBI, said he believed the two companies had a great deal to offer one another, and potential clients.

“By collaborating with Rafagen for cell line engineering, we at GBI can expand our capabilities as a biological contract manufacturing organisation and offer one-stop shopping,” he said.

“This enables our clients to overcome challenging projects by working from their cDNA to develop more robust and high productivity cell lines that will not only scale up with greater efficiency, but by identifying cell lines with the highest level of efficacy, the end product will hopefully optimise patient outcomes.”

Faster rates

Rafagen claims its proprietary technology designed to “solve the most challenging problems in molecular therpautics” can encourage a marked increase in drug production from manufacturing facilities, helping launch drugs more quickly, and consequently generating revenue at a faster rate.

The company has strong ties to South Korea, having recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the governor of Chungcheongbuk-Do province stating its goal to build bio-manufacturing plants in the region.

Meanwhile GBI has nearly 20 years of experience as an independent CMO, and offers fully integrated current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) services, with particular expertise in the development and manufacture of recombinant proteins and antibody drug conjugates.