Intas Biopharma signs R&D pact with Virionics

Intas Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (IBPL), an Ahmedabad-based biopharmaceutical company, has entered into a strategic R&D pact with the US based Virionics Corporation.

The company has joined Virionics Corporation for developing human papilloma virus (HPV-16 & HPV-18) therapeutic vaccine, useful for treating cervical cancer.

The company said that the collaboration will provide unique technology-transfer opportunity along with exclusive marketing rights to IBPL for the supply of product in India and certain key markets.

The development of HPV therapeutic will be based on the virus-like particle technology supplied by Virionics. As per the agreement a major part of the funding shall be done by IBPL.

Mani Iyer, Director, IBPL, said, "Both the companies will jointly initiate a development programme and create a development committee, comprising members of the two companies, which will be responsible for creating, modifying and monitoring the programme."

The committee will be responsible for providing strategic pre-clinical, manufacturing and clinical study, and simultaneously execute a clinical programme to support the combination product.

Additionally, IBPL will have the first option to be a contract manufacturing supplier of the product, for India and other markets. Process development and yield improvement activities will be carried out at IBPL.

According to the company the development programme will be a milestone in drug development, manufacturing, patenting, regulatory affairs and all relevant activities.

IBPL has been given the right to use programme assets during the agreement period to conduct the development programme. Virionics and IBPL will jointly own all the rights, titles and interests in any joint discoveries in their respective territories during the term of agreement.

Considering the increasing rate of cervical cancer in India, IBPL may explore several social government initiatives in future for commercialisation of the product. It is noteworthy that cervical cancer is highly prevalent in Indian women with 80% caused by HPV infection.

IBPL, through its 100% subsidiary Indus Biotherapeutics, has successfully completed clinical trials of three biotechnology drugs, G-CSF, Erythropoietin and Interferon, which are now in markets.