• Partnership formed to evaluate the impact of Amplycell’s novel cell fitness technology on expression capacity of Horizon’s bioproduction cell line
• Potential to establish long-term relationship, with Amplycell’s BOOST procedure being applied as standard to future generations of Horizon’s bioproduction cell lines
Cambridge, UK and Liege, BE, 08 March 2017 - Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE: HZD) (“Horizon”), the world leader in the application of gene editing technologies, including the provision of bioproduction cell lines, today announced it has entered into a research and development collaboration, and license agreement with AmplyCell S.A., to evaluate the impact of AmplyCell’s BOOST cell line optimisation technology on Horizon’s parental GS (glutamine synthetase) null CHO K1 cell line.
AmplyCell’s Cell Fitness Technologies, which include BOOST, consist of a four-stage process to optimise cell lines in terms of stability and productivity. Cell lines can be stimulated using AmplyCell’s Cell Fitness Technologies at any stage of cell line development or bioproduction (clone creation, RCB/DCB, MCB), without the need to change culture conditions.
Horizon is applying a disruptive business model alongside its expertise in genome editing to improve the manufacture of biotherapeutics, making its cutting-edge CHO cells available to companies of all sizes. Horizon’s CHO SOURCE platform comprises the industry standard GS selection system partnered with an expression vector and established culturing protocols. Through the targeted application of genome editing, Horizon is constantly evolving this platform, generating a series of continually improved cell lines that further advance the bioproduction capability of CHO cells.
Before releasing its next generation of bioproduction cell lines, Horizon will evaluate the impact of Amplycell’s technology on the expression capability of their parental GS null CHO K1 cell line. If the evaluation is successful, both parties anticipate a long term relationship, with the BOOST procedure being applied as standard to future generations of cell lines.
Under the terms of the agreement, Horizon will make an upfront payment (figure not disclosed) to AmplyCell. Upon establishing a positive impact on the CHO cell line, AmplyCell will then be entitled to receive success-based development and commercial milestone payments and Horizon will have the non-exclusive worldwide rights to sublicense these BOOSTed CHO-K1 cell lines to third parties. AmplyCell is also eligible to receive tiered royalties based on the net sales of these sublicensed lines.
Terry Pizzie, Head of Commercial, Horizon Discovery said: “We are hopeful that a successful evaluation of AmplyCell’s BOOST technology will lead to incorporation of this methodology for all future bioprocessing cell lines released by Horizon, and look forward to creating a long term relationship with AmplyCell.”
Geoffrey Holsbeek, CEO of AmplyCell S.A. added: “AmplyCell is delighted to enter into this collaboration with Horizon. They have already demonstrated significant success in establishing biomanufacturing licensing deals around the globe, and we are pleased to be able to support their drive to remain at the forefront of cell innovation.”
Contact : For further information from Horizon Discovery Group plc, please contact: Zyme Communications (Trade and Regional Media) Katie Odgaard Tel: +44 (0)7787 502 947 Email: katie.odgaard@zymecommunications.com
For further information from Amplycell S.A., please contact: Julien Isoard, Business Boosting Development Tel: +32 483 743 904 Email: julien.isoard@amplycell.com
About Horizon Discovery’s Biomanufacturing platform:
Biological therapeutics made up seven of the top ten best selling drugs of 2015, and they feature extensively in developmental pipelines. Access to bioproduction cell lines for their manufacture can be cost prohibitive however, and is often restricted in ways that prevent their further optimisation by customers. This stifles innovation and means that drugs are not always getting to market due to the inability to generate bioproduction cell lines that meet the needs of commercial release.
Horizon is using its expertise in genome engineering to improve biological therapeutics manufacturing. As well as developing a tool box of cell lines for the manufacture of a range of current and next generation biological therapeutics, Horizon wants to encourage innovation in other organisations by allowing access to its state of the art bioproduction cell line platform (CHO SOURCE) under flexible licensing terms that include allowing the further modification of cells.
About Horizon Discovery Group plc www.horizondiscovery.com
Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE: HZD) (“Horizon”), is a world-leading gene editing company that designs and engineers genetically-modified cells and then applies them in research and clinical applications that advance human health.
Horizon’s core capabilities are built around its proprietary translational genomics platform, a highly precise and flexible suite of gene editing tools (rAAV, ZFN and CRISPR) able to alter almost any gene sequence in human or mammalian cell-lines.
Horizon offers over 23,000 catalogue products and related research services, almost all of which are based on the generation and application of cell and animal models that accurately recapitulate the disease-causing genetic anomalies found in diseases like cancer. Horizon’s commercial offering has been adopted by c. 1,600 unique research organisations in over 50 countries as well as in the Company’s own R&D pipeline to support a greater understanding of the genetic drivers of disease and the development of molecular, cell and gene therapies that can be prescribed on a personalised basis.
Horizon is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker “HZD”.
About AmplyCell www.amplycell.com
AmplyCell provide its customers the ability to produce more protein out of their own cell lines thanks to « BOOST Cell Fitness» unique technology that increases cell line productivity with no change in cell culture conditions nor cell media composition.
Physical treatments turn cells to more stable and productive ones, for recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) clinical and R&D production. This solution allows economies of scale, cost saving and increased ease of production.
AmplyCell is headquartered in Liège, Belgium, is the first spin-off of Haute Ecole and won several awards for its innovative cell technology.
Since its creation in 2014, the company has been working for large IVD companies and is now addressing the Pharma and Biotech industry.
