Rentschler Biopharma and ATUM Announce Leap-In Transposase® Licensing Agreement for Development of Robust Manufacturing Processes for Complex Therapeutic Proteins

• License agreement provides Rentschler Biopharma full access to ATUM’s Leap-In Transposase® cell line development (CLD) tools
• Technology will be integrated into Rentschler Biopharma’s in-house process with a fast, cost-effective, and stable platform to complement existing CLD offering

LAUPHEIM, Germany & MILFORD, Mass. & NEWARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rentschler Biopharma SE, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biopharmaceuticals, and ATUM, a global specialist and industry leader in synthetic biology solutions, today announced the signing of a full CDMO licensing agreement for the Leap-In Transposase^® platform.

Under the terms of the agreement, ATUM will provide Rentschler Biopharma full access to its Leap-In Transposase^® platform. The technology platform is an integrated solution combining proprietary re-coding algorithms, unique genetic vector elements as well as a transposon-based mechanism for efficient insertion of genetically stable elements into the genome. The platform is particularly well suited for the production of standard antibodies as well as complex, multi-chain (e.g., 3⁺ chains) therapeutic proteins, such as bispecific monoclonal antibodies. ATUM’s technology will strategically enhance Rentschler Biopharma’s cell line development services and capabilities and complement the existing service offered via the CDMO’s strategic partner network.

With this new collaboration, Rentschler Biopharma and ATUM will be able to offer an additional service that will rapidly and robustly produce stable, high titer manufacturing cell lines, thereby supporting a growing number of organizations in moving their promising biopharmaceuticals to the market faster and with lower manufacturing risk than using alternative strategies. ATUM’s Leap-In Transposase^® platform will complement Rentschler Biopharma’s recently implemented CHO GS KO platform for difficult-to-express proteins by providing innovative and tailored solutions to translate complex medical research into outstanding biopharmaceuticals. Rentschler Biopharma’s integrated platform process will be well suited for high-quality protein expression and allow clients access to further robust and flexible approaches to designer protein therapeutics.

“At Rentschler Biopharma, we are always looking for innovative solutions across the entire value chain – from concept to market – by establishing strategic and valuable partnerships. We are excited to combine our knowledge and in-house cell line development process with the deep expertise of ATUM, an industry leader in synthetic biology solutions for over a decade,” commented Dr. Frank Mathias, CEO of Rentschler Biopharma. “We want the best for our clients, and with the addition of ATUM’s transformative Leap-In Transposase^® platform to our current service portfolio, we will be able to further support our clients in the development and production of complex next-generation biotherapeutics.”

“Rentschler Biopharma and ATUM share a long-term, strong commitment to innovation and excellence,” said Dr. Jeremy Minshull, CEO of ATUM. “The Leap-In Transposase^® technology is revolutionizing cell line development for simple as well as complex (multi-chain) therapeutic proteins and will provide Rentschler Biopharma stable, high-yield cell lines in very rapid timeframes. This capability adds another important instrument to their portfolio to accelerate time-to-market while maintaining product quality and reliability. We look forward to working with Rentschler Biopharma to support clients who are developing a wide variety of novel molecules.”

About Rentschler Biopharma SE

Rentschler Biopharma is a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), focused exclusively on client projects. From its headquarters in Laupheim, Germany, and its site in Milford, MA, USA, Rentschler Biopharma offers process development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals as well as related consulting activities, including project management and regulatory support. Rentschler Biopharma’s high quality is proven by its long-standing experience and excellence as a solution partner for its clients. A high-level quality management system, a well-established operational excellence philosophy and advanced technologies ensure product quality and productivity at each development and manufacturing step. In order to offer optimal solutions across the entire value chain, the company has entered into a strategic alliance with Leukocare AG for formulation development. Rentschler Biopharma is a family-owned company with about 1,000 employees.

For further information, please visit www.rentschler-biopharma.com. Follow Rentschler Biopharma on LinkedIn and Facebook.

About ATUM

ATUM offers an integrated pipeline of tools including gene design, optimization and synthesis, expression vectors, and platforms for protein and cellular engineering and production. The company exploits the dependence of biological activity on well-designed sequences. ATUM’s tools and solutions are fueling the transformation of biology from a discovery science to an engineering discipline. By collaborating with our clients, ATUM accelerates breakthroughs and moves research further faster.

For more information please visit: www.atum.bio.

About ATUM’s Leap-In Transposase^® Technology

The Leap-In Transposase^® rapidly catalyses the stable integration of genes into a target genome. Genes are integrated as multiple independent copies with structural integrity perfectly maintained. This greatly reduces the screening burden required compared with slower, more traditional “random integration” methods where the introduced DNA is randomly fragmented and often rearranged. ATUM’s Leap-In technology is protected by over a dozen pending and issued patents.

For more information please visit: http://www.atum.bio/pipeline/cld.

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