Bio-Works provides WorkBeads Protein A to Yumab for screening of antibody candidates now in early clinical testing against COVID-19
As a response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the spring of this year, Bio-Works offered to help by providing resins for vaccine purification research. One such project has now resulted in a neutralizing monoclonal antibody candidate against SARS-CoV-2 being produced for clinical phase 1 testing.
More than 10 companies took advantage of Bio-Works’ offer of WorkBeads resins and expert advice to help speed up vaccine or treatment development against COVID-19. One of these was Yumab, a Contract Research Organization (CRO) working in a consortium together with Boehringer Ingelheim.
Bio-Works provided WorkBeadsTM Protein A to enable Yumab to perform screening of over one hundred antibody candidates.
Yumab has been using the WorkBeads Protein A during the past six months and has now selected one final candidate which is now in production for use in clinical Phase I testing, expected to start in January-February 2021.
“Bio-Works is extremely happy and proud to play a small part in this successful screening and to contribute in general to fighting the viral pandemic,” said Jonathan Royce, CEO for Bio-Works.
André Frenzel, CSO Yumab, said: “Bio-Works has been a great help by providing the purification resin. It enabled Yumab to quickly start the screening process, efficiently screen antibody candidates and select a final candidate within just a few months.”
Royce continued by saying “Our WorkBeads resin provides high purity and high binding capacity, and can be used at high flow rates to minimize process time. It’s gratifying to be able to apply these advantages in such a tangible way to develop vaccines and treatments to fight COVID-19 where speed and efficiency are critical”.
For more information, please visit the Bio-Works homepage at, www.bio-works.com or contact: Jonathan Royce, CEO, e-mail: jonathan.royce @ bio-works.com, phone: +46 70 1434143.
About Yumab
YUMAB develops fully human antibodies from target to lead for clients and partners worldwide. Its proprietary antibody platform covers all technologies from antibody discovery to antibody engineering and lead optimization. YUMAB antibodies contain natural, close to germline sequences promising low immunogenicity and toxicity. The advanced antibody platform provides high success-rates to all types of antigens. Further information at www.yumab.com.
About Bio-Works
Bio-Works designs, develops, manufactures and supplies innovative leading-edge agarose products for chromatographic separation of proteins, peptides and other biomolecules. Bio-Works’ agarose based high performance products are used for purification in the life science research phases as well as the commercial production of biopharmaceuticals and diagnostic products in large scale. The products are sold globally with our own organization and via distributors. The Bio-Works’ headquarter with R&D and manufacturing is located in Uppsala Business Park in Uppsala, Sweden and the company processes and a Quality Management System follows the standards of ISO 9001:2015. The company’s share is listed on Nasdaq First North. FNCA Sweden AB, +46 (0) 8-528 00 399, info@fnca.se, is appointed Certified Adviser.