Sillajen signs CDMO agreement with Italy's ReiThera

Sillajen said it has signed a master service agreement with Italy-based global CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) ReiThera for the production of its next-generation oncolytic virus platform, the SJ-600 series.

Under the agreement, ReiThera will conduct advanced contract development and manufacturing to produce clinical-grade GMP drugs for Sillajen's SJ-600 series.

ReiThera, headquartered in Italy, is a global CDMO specializing in the development of preventive vaccines for viral diseases such as Ebola and HIV, which it has supplied to the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, ReiThera plays a crucial role in combating Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks in Africa by manufacturing and supplying vaccines to support vaccination campaigns.

Notably, ReiThera has extensive experience in producing vaccinia-based viral platforms, the backbone virus for the SJ-600 series, and possesses the equipment required by Sillajen.

With its rich experience and advanced facilities, ReiThera offers an end-to-end solution from process development to GMP manufacturing, ensuring the production of clinical drugs for the SJ-600 series in-house.

Sillajen's SJ-600 series represents an oncolytic virus platform that differs from conventional therapies by evading neutralization reactions, allowing for repeated administration.

The platform features the expression of complement regulatory protein CD55 on the viral surface, facilitating intravenous administration. The SJ-600 series is currently under joint research and development by Sillajen's research institute and Professor Lee Dong-sup of the Laboratory of Immune Systemic Interactome in Cancer & Kidney at Seoul National University College of Medicine.

"Through our collaboration with ReiThera, which boasts international vaccine development experience and cutting-edge facilities, we can now pursue standardized mass production of the SJ-600 series,” Sillajen CEO Kim Jae-kyung said. “This marks a significant step forward in our efforts to achieve licensing-out opportunities."

ReiThera CEO Stefano Colloca also said, "We are proud to support Sillajen's innovative SJ-600 series with our state-of-the-art facilities and expertise.”

This partnership aligns with the company’s commitment to delivering innovative therapies to cancer patients and achieving superior outcomes with next-generation technology, Colloca added.