SwiftPharma and Medace sign strategic collaboration agreement for biomanufacturing and purification of promising medicinal proteins.

Under the terms of this collaboration, SwiftPharma will initially focus on the optimization and upscaled manufacturing of Griffithsin for a non-antiretroviral HIV-prevention method at Medace’s accessible GMP manufacturing hub with comprehensive quality and regulatory support from Medace. SwiftPharma’s groundbreaking approach to biomanufacturing, paired with Medace’s state-of-the-art scalable GMP facilities and support, is set to expedite the availability of this pioneering product.

Griffithsin is a non-antiretroviral HIV entry inhibitor that binds to the HIV envelope glycoproteins and blocks virus entry into target cells. In addition to HIV prevention, preclinical studies have also shown effective prevention against HSV-2 and HPV, and early clinical evaluations have demonstrated an excellent safety profile when delivered as a gel, a precursor product to the method being developed where Griffiths is contained in a fast-dissolving insert (FDI). This Griffithsin FDI is an on-demand, user-controlled, portable prevention technology in early development that is designed to be manufacturable in low- and middle-income countries.

Next to Griffithsin, the proprietary HyperXpress manufacturing process of SwiftPharma is also suitable to be used for other plant-made biologics including vaccines, antibodies, cytokines, enzymes and other high-value, animal-free proteins that re-define safety and sustainability.

“Our HyperXpress manufacturing process signifies a pivotal leap in sustainable biomanufacturing. The utilization of Nicotiana benthamiana plants offers a remarkably efficient and scalable solution for low-cost biomanufacturing. This development holds immense promise in the fight against the HIV epidemic, especially for regions with limited resources, and underscores our unwavering dedication to innovation, sustainability, accessibility, and global health improvement,” said Jeroen Hofenk, SwiftPharma’s Founder and Chief Science Officer.

Kurt Gielen, CBO of Medace, expressed his perspective on the collaboration, remarking, “Medace is honoured to join forces with SwiftPharma in this crucial mission. Our unwavering commitment to manufacturing excellence and stringent quality and regulatory compliance perfectly complements SwiftPharma’s vision for advancing global health with innovative technologies. Together, we are poised to catapult this groundbreaking solution to the forefront of HIV prevention and other biomanufacturing applications.”

About

About SwiftPharma SwiftPharma is a Belgium-based privately held biotechnology company dedicated to developing next generation, animal-free, and affordable recombinant proteins by transforming plants into mini bioreactors. The company is on a mission to bring a paradigm shift to multiple industries by serving as a bridge between high unmet industry needs and the significant advances being made in sustainable biomanufacturing. For more information, visit www.swiftpharma.eu.

About Medace Medace is a Netherlands-based privately held company dedicated to supporting the development of innovative (bio)medical products by emerging companies. The company is on a mission to make clinical evaluation of promising medicinal products more approachable for emerging companies. For more information, visit www.medacespace.com.