AntoXa and SwiftPharma to present plant-made anti-ricin antibody technology to NATO expert panel
GUELPH, Ont., Canada, August 14, 2024 — AntoXa Corporation, a Canadian biopharmaceutical company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical agents, and Belgium-based SwiftPharma have been invited to present to the NATO Biological Defense Medical Expert Panel (BIO DEF MED) on Sept. 19 in Tournai, Belgium.
The BIO DEF MED meetings, which take place Sept. 16-20, focus on countermeasures for natural and manmade biological agents, including ricin, a naturally occurring protein from the castor-bean plant that is extremely toxic to humans when inhaled or injected.
AntoXa and SwiftPharma will provide the panel with an update on their development and commercialization of a plant-made antibody against ricin exposure.
“The technical presentation is an excellent opportunity to provide the panel with detailed information about the patented process for manufacturing the PhD9 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment for ricin exposure,” said Jeroen Hofenk, Founder and CSO of SwiftPharma.
The process for manufacturing PhD9, which uses the plant-based vivoXPRESS® platform, was developed by AntoXa under license from Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC). The process is patented in Canada and the United States. AntoXa has an exclusive license from DRDC to develop and produce PhD9 for global markets.
The company has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with SwiftPharma to accelerate advancement of the drug in European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) markets. Swift will use their recently completed state-of-the-art GMP manufacturing facility in Belgium to produce PhD9 for clinical trials and commercial sale.
“Our plant-based manufacturing platform addresses the need for cost-effective production of antibody drugs for a variety of applications, including antidotes for ricin and other potential bioterrorism threats,” said Dr. Don Stewart, CEO of AntoXa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PlantForm Corporation.
Ricin is listed as a Category B threat agent by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention due to its ease of production, worldwide availability, relative stability and extreme lethality. It acts very quickly and leaves a short window for administering therapeutic antibodies.
There is currently no approved antidote for ricin poisoning. The PhD9 antibody drug candidate prevents ricin from penetrating cells. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies conducted by DRDC and other independent agencies found the plant-made version of the antibody showed therapeutic efficacy against ricin intoxication.
About AntoXa Corporation (antoxacorp.com)
AntoXa Corporation is a Canadian biopharmaceutical company developing medical countermeasures to protect military and civilian personnel from biological and chemical agents, as well as outbreaks of naturally occurring infectious diseases.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of PlantForm Corporation, AntoXa holds an exclusive license to PlantForm's proprietary vivoXPRESS® biopharmaceutical manufacturing platform to produce countermeasures for ricin, sarin and soman, as well as other defence-related therapeutics. The groundbreaking plant-based vivoXPRESS® technology platform produces high-value biopharmaceuticals in less than six weeks at a significantly lower cost of goods compared to industry standard fermentation systems.
About SwiftPharma (swiftpharma.eu)
SwiftPharma is a pioneering biotechnology company focused on providing Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) services. Leveraging deep insights into market trends and customer demands, SwiftPharma excels in the creation and commercial production of innovative, animal-free proteins that are poised to make a lasting impact on global health.
At the core of SwiftPharma's capabilities is the proprietary HyperXpress® bioplatform, which harnesses the power of plants as mini-bioreactors to deliver high-quality proteins with unprecedented speed, scalability, and precision. This advanced technology, combined with a comprehensive molecular toolbox and flexible manufacturing infrastructure, enables SwiftPharma to streamline the production of a diverse range of proteins, significantly reducing complexity and accelerating time-to-market for its clients.
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For more information, please contact:
Don Stewart
President and CEO, AntoXa Corp.
don.stewart@antoxacorp.com
+1 416-452-7242
Stacey Curry Gunn
Director of Communications, AntoXa Corp.
stacey.curry.gunn@antoxacorp.com
+1 519-827-1131
Jeroen Hofenk
Founder and CSO, SwiftPharma
jeroen@swiftpharma.eu
+32 485 92 46 41