Biocon, IATRICa to co-develop drugs

Biocon has formed a partnership with IATRICa Inc to co-develop a new class of immunoconjugates for targeted immunotherapy of cancers and infectious diseases.

The companies will co-develop candidate products based upon IATRICa's technology platform and Biocon's expertise in drug development, biologics manufacturing, and clinical research.

IATRICa's technology enables development of a diverse spectrum of immunoconjugates that are capable of activating potent, targeted immune responses against various tumors or pathogens. Biocon has also made an equity investment in IATRICa.

Announcing the partnership, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairman and managing director, Biocon, said: "This collaboration will dovetail IATRICa's technology and research expertise with Biocon's expertise in the development of biologic therapeutics. This symbiotic partnership should accelerate clinical development of innovative bio-hybrid molecules for targeted immunotherapy and thereby reinforce our shared endeavor to provide effective new treatments for major neoplastic and infectious diseases."

IATRICa is a start-up biotechnology company formed in 2007 with technology developed at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It has exclusive licenses to the immuno-conjugate technology invented by Johns Hopkins scientists and company founders Atul Sedi and Rajani Ravi.