ProBioGen and LAVA Therapeutics sign cell line development agreement

The agreement marks the second cell line development collaboration between the two companies

CDMO ProBioGen has agreed to support LAVA Therapeutics by conducting cell line development of the biotech firm's novel bispecific gamma-delta T cell engager (TCE) candidate.

The extended partnership will see the CDMO use its CHO.RIGHT expression platform, including its DirectedLuck Transposase technology for the generation of stable higher-titer cell lines.

According to Stephen Hurly, Chief Executive Officer and President of LAVA Therapeutics, the collaboration is based on the "great results" from a previous agreement with the specialist in developing and manufacturing complex therapeutic proteins.

In a statement, ProBioGen's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lutz Hilbrich, described the company's cell line development platform as "perfectly suited" for novel protein formats, yielding biologics with optimised properties.

LAVA Therapeutics' lead program, LAVA-051, is expected to enter a Phase 1/2a clinical study in hematologic malignancies in the first half of 2021.