Modified starch coupled to therapeutic protein on industrial scale

Published: 12-Nov-2010

The technology enables the modification of key pharmacological parameters


Fresenius Kabi has successfully produced a robust HESylated pharmaceutical on an industrial scale for Boehringer Ingelheim Regional Center Vienna.

The site-specific coupling of Fresenius Kabi’s hydroxyethyl starch (HES) allows the targeted modification of drugs and their characteristics.

Fresenius Kabi provided Boehringer Ingelheim RCV with its HESylation Technology to manufacture HES conjugated to a therapeutic protein, enabling the modification of key pharmacological parameters such as absorption, metabolisation, half-life, water solubility and safety.

The amount of the HESylated pharmaceutical produced was equal to 30,000 once-weekly doses of an already approved, long-acting second generation product.

The HESylated pharmaceutical deriving from both the laboratory and the industrial scale were comparable with regard to quality and process yield.

Upon this first successful collaboration, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV and Fresenius Kabi Deutschland will actively evaluate further opportunities to extend the collaboration and to apply HESylation Technology.

Fresenius Kabi expects to enter into further collaborations with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to contribute to improved pharmaceutical products through its HESylation Technology platform.

Boehringer Ingelheim RCV, the Austrian affiliate of Boehringer Ingelheim, is the centre of competence for microbial expression technologies and the development and GMP production of biopharmaceuticals for Boehringer Ingelheim and its third party customers.

Fresenius Kabi is focused on products for the therapy and care of critically and chronically ill patients in and outside the hospital. Its core product range includes intravenously administered drugs, infusion solutions and parenteral as well as enteral nutrition.

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