Affyxell Therapeutics, a joint venture between Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Avacta Life Science, said that it would conduct more efficient preclinical trials through a three-party joint project with Biocytogen, Korea Non-Clinical Technology Solution Center (KNTSC)
In drug development, preclinical trials, also known as animal testing, play a crucial role in studying the relationship between specific genes and diseases and testing the safety and efficacy of new drug candidates.
Under the accord, the three parties will cooperate in developing animal and disease models, supply animals, and conducting non-clinical trials to develop new immune disease drugs.
Affyxell Therapeutics will conduct proof-of-concept and toxicity testing of many of its drug candidates using animal and disease models developed through this collaboration.
The company stressed that verifying the therapeutic efficacy of new drug candidates in various immune disease groups can increase the likelihood of success in new drug development and accelerate the development process.
Biocytogen, a Chinese company specializing in developing new antibody drugs, has a platform for gene editing and genetically modified animals based on a mouse model that produces human antibodies.
The company will establish non-clinical animal models related to immune diseases, supply genetically modified animals, and conduct non-clinical tests.
The KNTSC will provide the infrastructure network necessary for non-clinical trials, supports the overall process and technology, and manages projects for efficient non-clinical trials.
“Through this contract, the capabilities of the three companies can exert a synergistic effect, providing a foundation for speeding up the development of new drugs,” Affyxell Therapeutics CEO Yoo Jong-sang said. “In the future, we will further accelerate the development of cell gene therapy to overcome immune diseases and contribute to improving the quality of life of patients with incurable diseases.”
Biocytogen CEO Yuelei Shen also said, “We expect this contract to allow Affyxell to exert a synergistic effect on developing next-generation cell gene therapy for overcoming immune diseases based on our non-clinical animal model development and non-clinical experimental know-how related to immune diseases.”
KNTSC President Song Yung-jong said his institution would do its best to coordinate opinions between the two companies so that they can contribute to the development of next-generation cell gene therapy products targeting immune diseases using the platform technology of Affyxell Therapeutics.