Biothera Expertise in Carbohydrate Characterization Highlighted
Data Presented at IBC Life Sciences 12th Annual Well Characterized Biologics Conference
EAGAN, MN — November 17, 2008 — Biothera presented data demonstrating the well characterized nature of Imprime PGG®, the company’s developmental cancer drug, at the IBC Life Science 12th annual Well Characterized Biologics Conference last week in Reston, VA.
Biologics are drugs for the treatment or prevention of disease in humans. Unlike chemically synthesized drugs, which have well-defined structures, biologics are generally derived from living material – human, animal or microorganism – and are complex in structure and often not fully characterized.
Imprime PGG is a polysaccharide derived from the cell wall of a proprietary strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biothera employs a variety of techniques to characterize both the primary structure of Imprime PGG, and its ordered secondary and tertiary macromolecular structure. The company analyzes monosaccharide composition and molecular weight, the position and anomeric configuration of the glycosidic linkages, the amount of branching along the main chain, and the distribution of the different lengths of the side chains. In addition, the drug product is analyzed for a variety of product and process related impurities.
“Imprime PGG is extremely well characterized,” said Daniel Conners, Biothera founder and chairman. “This thorough understanding ultimately results in a safer drug and creates a higher standard for carbohydrate biologics.”
About Imprime PGG®
Imprime PGG is a novel immunotherapy that can enhance the immune response against a number of disease indications. Imprime PGG works in concert with anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies to activate a large population of the body’s immune cells (neutrophils) to kill cancer cells. Unlike other drugs that trigger a broad innate immune response, Imprime PGG selectively activates immune cells without inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, which reduces potential side effects. As a platform therapeutic in oncology, Imprime PGG has the potential to improve patient response rates for existing monoclonal antibody therapies in approved indications, create new indications for these drugs and enhance the efficacy of development-stage monoclonal antibody drugs.
About Biothera, the Immune Health Company
Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health. The company is developing pharmaceuticals that engage the innate immune system to fight cancer. Biothera also manufactures and markets food-grade ingredients that support healthy immune function to the nutritional supplement, functional food, cosmetic and animal nutrition markets.
Contact:
David Walsh
VP Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606 (direct)
dwalsh@biothera.com