Novozymes Biopharma, part of Novozymes
A/S, the world leader in bioinnovation, today unveiled its enhanced next-generation
albumin technology, which was developed in collaboration with the University of
Oslo, Norway, one of the world's leading institutions in the research of
albumin variants and the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). Built on Novozymes'
original Albufuse platform, the proprietary Albufuse
Flex technology
has been designed to enable users to adapt and control the pharmacokinetics of
their target protein or peptide with retained efficacy, ensuring flexibility
and optimal use.
"Novozymes Biopharma is thrilled to
introduce Albufuse
Flex to the industry," says Dave Mead, Business
Development Director at Novozymes Biopharma. "Albumin is a natural and benign carrier
molecule, and by having the unique ability to decrease or increase its
half-life it will help our customers to develop novel drugs with improved
pharmacokinetic properties for a wide range of applications."
It has been shown that by manipulating
the interaction of albumin and IgGs with FcRn it is possible to tailor their
half-life. The Albufuse
Flex technology has been developed to facilitate
manipulation based on this FcRn-albumin interaction, enabling a tunable half-life
that offers control and flexibility and that, potentially, may improve overall
treatment efficacy and patient compliance. In addition to protein- or peptide-based
drugs, the enhanced technology also provides a delivery vehicle for small
molecules, providing a broad scope of usability.
The enhanced half-life technology has
been developed by Novozymes in collaboration with scientists at the University of Oslo. The innovative research developed
by the university into the interaction between albumin variants and the neonatal
Fc receptor (FcRn) was fundamental in the development of Albufuse
Flex.
Professor Inger Sandlie, Group leader at
the Norwegian Centre of Excellence for Immune Regulation, says: "The efficacy
of peptides, small proteins, and engineered antibody fragments is hampered by
short serum half-life. Therefore, strategies to tailor their serum persistence
and biodistribution are needed. The unique Albufuse
Flex technology
solves this problem and will result in enhanced treatment efficacy, more
favorable dosing regimes, and improved patient compliance."
"The successful development of the Albufuse
Flex technology illustrates the importance of industry and academic
collaboration in turning scientific excellence into products that address
medical needs. Novozymes has been an outstanding partner throughout the
development process, and the company truly understands the potential of our
academic science," says Dr Jørund Sollid, Inven2 AS, the university technology
transfer office.
* Albufuse
®Flex is a
registered trademark of albumin fusion technology.
For further information on Novozymes' new
Albufuse
Flex technology, please visit
www.biopharma.novozymes.com.