Aptamer Group, developer of diagnostic and therapeutic Optimer reagents, has announced an agreement with multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company.
The agreement will allow Aptamer Group to assess its Optimer technology with an additional target class, with the potential for incorporation into Takeda’s drug development process. Following the development of specific reagents to the agreed range of targets, they will be available to Takeda to evaluate for the feasibility of working with their drug compounds.
Based on oligonucleotide molecules, Optimers (which the company describes as optimised aptamer reagents) can bind specifically to a target molecule to act as an antibody alternative. Their ability to fold into distinct secondary or tertiary structures gives them high target affinity and specific binding toward the selected targets, the group says. They are emerging as alternatives in a range of applications.
Dr Arron Tolley, CEO of Aptamer Group, said: “I am delighted to have established this collaboration for critical assay reagents with Takeda, who are global pharmaceutical leaders. Co-development relationships such as this offer the opportunity to leverage each party’s expertise for the delivery of new and innovative tools for clinical and bio-therapeutic applications. This partnership is a great endorsement of the value of Aptamer Group’s technology in targeting novel biopharmaceuticals and I look forward to working together with Takeda and reporting on progress.”
In March, the group extended a collaboration with AstraZeneca.
