HQ Team
July 5, 2023: Evotec SE, a German drugmaker, announced its Seattle-based arm, has bagged a $74 million US government contract for the development of a monoclonal antibody-based product prototype to target orthopoxviruses.
Just Evotec Biologics will develop drug product prototypes through the execution of phase I first-in-human clinical trials for the US Department of Defense, according to an Evotec statement.
The discovery and development process will include finding new antibodies using AI-driven de novo design and evaluation of existing monoclonal antibodies.
Molecular optimization, cell line, process development, and manufacturing will happen at Evotec’s facility in Redmond, Washington.
Biological defense
Linda Zukerman, executive vice-president, Global Head Biotherapeutic, Evotec Biologies said the contract the second program of the company for DOD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defence.
Evotec will bring “critical capabilities in biologics development” to the DOD’s Accelerated Antibodies Program, she said.
The first contract under the Accelerated Antibodies Program for the development of monoclonal antibodies against plague was awarded to Just Evotec Biologics in September of 2022.
Laboratory-made monoclonal antibodies help stimulate your own immune system. The word “monoclonal” refers to the fact that the antibodies created in the laboratory are clones.
Public health concern
They are exact copies of one antibody. The generic names of the products often include the letters “mab” at the end of the name.
Orthopoxviruses are a group of viruses that belong to the family Poxviridae. The most well-known orthopoxvirus is the eradicated variola virus, which is the causative agent of smallpox.
Other orthopoxviruses include mpox, cowpox, and vaccinia virus. While vaccines are available for some orthopoxviruses, such as variola and cowpox, there is currently no approved antibody treatment for infections caused by these viruses, and they remain a concern for public health.
