Syngene International will partner with Zumutor Biologics to screen target antigens against Zumutor’s human antibody libraries, with the goal of discovering and characterizing novel antibody clones. Syngene then plans to develop the immunotherapies for its own partners.
The nonexclusive collaboration will grant contract researcher Syngene access to Zumutor’s naïve human phage/yeast display library. In addition, Zumutor’s immuno-oncology pipeline focuses on targeting innate immunity and regulating the tumor microenvironment.
In a statement (PDF), Syngene said the project will help further its capabilities in therapeutic discovery. Financial details of the arrangement between the two Bangalore, India-based companies were not disclosed.
“Syngene has been a pioneer in discovery research and we see Discovery Biology as one of our growth drivers,” said Manoj Nerurkar, Ph.D., Syngene’s chief operating officer. “This partnership will expand our existing portfolio of therapeutic antibody discovery platforms for our clients.”
RELATED: Indian CRO Syngene sets up Amgen R&D center in Bangalore
Previously, Syngene commissioned a new Bangalore drug discovery and development center for Amgen in 2016. The company’s fourth R&D hub, employing about 100 scientists, joined centers for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott Nutrition and Baxter.
Once the in-house CRO for the Indian drugmaker Biocon, Syngene was spun out and went public in 2015.