Avacta joint venture enters new immune model collaboration

Clinical-stage oncology drug company Avacta announced on Friday that AffyXell Therapeutics - its joint venture with Daewoong Pharmaceutical - has entered into a collaboration agreement with Chinese biological drugs developer Biocytogen and the Korea Non-Clinical Technology Solution Center (KNTSC).

The AIM-traded firm said the collaboration was aimed at developing new immune disease in-vivo models, and carrying out proof-of-concept and toxicity testing of AffyXell's drug candidates using the developed disease models.

It said the new models would benefit from Biocytogen's platform for gene editing, which created mouse models capable of producing human antibodies.

The collaboration was designed to improve the translation of AffyXell's programmes into human trials, and accelerate drug development.

Avacta said KNTSC's role in the collaboration would be to provide the infrastructure and overall management for pre-clinical trials.

“The quality of pre-clinical disease models and their ability to translate into humans is critical for reducing risk and timelines associated with drug development,” said Avacta chief executive officer Dr Alastair Smith.

“This collaboration has the potential to significantly accelerate AffyXell's programmes.”

At 1600 BST, shares in Avacta Group were up 12.55% at 100.17p.