Samsung Biologics has signed a strategic partnership with Kahr Medical, a cancer immunotherapy company developing novel multifunctional immune-recruitment proteins. Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung Biologics will provide end-to-end cell line development and clinical drug substance and drug product manufacturing services as well as IND filling support for the immunotherapy company’s drug candidate, DSP502, a TIGITxPD1 fusion protein.
The current technology is based on multi-functional immuno-recruitment proteins (MIRP) that bind cancer cells and T-cells to selectively target tumours through a synergistic action. Kahr recently signed an exclusive license with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia to develop and commercialise multiple drug candidates, including DSP502.
“We are proud to announce our partnership with KAHR Medical for the production of their novel drug candidate,” said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics. “We will leverage our fully integrated, scalable, and high-quality development services and experienced teams to enable a faster transition from gene to IND in order to ensure KAHR’s success in bringing cutting edge immuno-recruitment cancer drugs to patients in need.”
"We are very pleased to partner with Samsung BioLogics, which is recognized as a leader in biopharmaceutical process development and manufacturing" said Yaron Pereg, PhD, CEO of KAHR. "DSP502 focuses on promising checkpoint pathways, unleashing the potential of the immune system to enhance anti-tumor immunoactivity through dual checkpoint inhibition.”
Samsung Biologics is currently building its fourth and largest biomanufacturing facility in Incheon, Korea. Upon completion of the said plant in 2023, Samsung Biologics will hold 620,000 L of biomanufacturing capacity.
