Albumedix technology extends dosing interval in Behring haemophilia B drug
pharmafile | March 22, 2016 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Research and Development | Albumedix, GSK, Idelvion, Novozymes, VELTIS, haemophilia B
Novozymes subsidiary Albumedix has scored another big pharma tie-up for its albumin-based half-life extension technology VELTIS, which this time is being used by CSL Behring in haemophilia B drug Idelvion (Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant)).
The latest collaboration follows that with Britain’s GSK, which uses VELTIS technology in its type 2 diabetes drug Eperzan (albiglutide), marketed in the US as Tanzeum.
VELTIS technology uses native and engineered human proteins called albumins, which, when combined with a drug candidate, offer the potential to adapt and control the active substance’s therapeutic half-life. Albumin works as a vehicle that transports the active drug ingredients throughout the body and increases the lifespan of the drug in the patient’s system.
This offers the possibility to maintain the activity levels of therapeutics for prolonged periods, which in turn can enable extended dosing intervals, making it easier in this case for haemophilia B patients to live a life less disrupted by frequent injections.
Idelvion was approved by the US FDA March 4 and European authorisation is expected to follow soon. Behring says use of VELTIS in the drug offers up to 14-day dosing intervals.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics say haemophilia B affects approximately one in 25,000 male births.
“The adoption of Albumedix’s VELTIS technology by CSL Behring marks a further milestone for our half-life extension platform”, comments Peter Rosholm, chief executive of Albumedix. “This announcement follows the successful use of the technology by GlaxoSmithKline in its Tanzeum and Eperzan branded therapies for type 2 diabetes. We consider the authorisation of Idelvion as further proof that VELTIS can offer true benefits to patients in the area of haemophilia, significantly reducing the discomfort, side-effects and inconvenience associated with frequent drug dosing.”
Joel Levy
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