Lonza Invests in innovative technology for biopharma portfolio
Swiss company Lonza has broadened its technology base by investing in AggreSolve, an innovative technology used for the selection and development of biopharmaceuticals.
Swiss company Lonza has broadened its technology base by investing in AggreSolve, an innovative technology used for the selection and development of biopharmaceuticals.
It has acquired all assets relating to the AggreSolve technology and services business of UK-based Zyentia. The technology will be incorporated into Lonza Biopharmaceuticals Mammalian r&d business unit, forming a new function entitled Advanced Protein Technologies.
This function will be headed by Dr JesÃ…"s Zurdo, one of the original inventors of the technology and will continue to operate out of its current laboratories based in Cambridge. The site will consist of up to 186m2 and is located at the new Meditrina building on the Babraham Research Campus.
AggreSolve is a comprehensive in silico protein analysis platform that can be applied to solving the problems posed by protein aggregation. The technology was developed in collaboration with scientists at the University of Cambridge and has applications in the selection and development of biopharmaceuticals.
The key capabilities of the AggreSolve platform are:
- Screening of proteins to predict aggregation problems
- Prediction of sequence changes likely to reduce aggregation
- Design of aggregation inhibitors and stabilisers
'We are excited having this new technology in our portfolio as it brings our r&d services one step further," said Dr Stephan Kutzer, head of Lonza Biopharmaceuticals. "AggreSolve will be made available worldwide."
Zyentia is a biotech company active in the development of products against diseases caused by protein misfolding and aggregation. After the sale of its AggreSolve platform, the company will be exploring potential partnerships for its three drug discovery programs in Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.