Abraxis BioScience adds facility to investigate SPARC
company's research and process development capabilities that use
the company's nab technology platform, which identifies new
chemical entities and exploitation of the SPARC pathway and its
role in cancer.
The molecular mechanism leading to the cancer metastasis to bone is poorly understood, which makes prognosis and therapy doubly difficult. Previous data has demonstrated the SPARC pathway may account for the extraordinarily high osteotropism of prostate cancer.
The nab (nanoparticle albumin-bound) technology combines a physiologically interactive human protein, albumin, with an active pharmaceutical agent, resulting in compounds which are free of toxicities associated with the use of solvent-based formulations.
Previous work at this facility, which utilised the platform included the production of a drug for use in clinical trials and manufacturing processes, quality systems and analytical development.
"This facility will provide us with the space necessary to meet our laboratory, R&D and production requirements," said Patrick Soon-Shiong, chairman and chief executive officer of >Abraxis BioScience.
The facility is to contain 20,000 square feet of cGMP-compliant production space designed for the manufacture of clinical trial materials for cell-based biotechnology products including whole cell vaccines and stem cell therapies.
The facility will be used by Abraxis to expand the company's research and process development capabilities, including biosimilars, as well as house the company's regulatory affairs and medical writing staff.
The company also announced the purchase of a 3.5-acre property in Culver City, California, which is intended to be the foundation for the first biopharmaceutical campus in Los Angeles.
This campus, which is intended to be complete in 2008, is intended to bring together all of the company's proprietary research, development and clinical trial capabilities.
