Hemogenyx partners with Selexis to advance CDX development

UK blood diseases specialist Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals (LSE: HEMO) and Swiss biotech Selexis, a JSR Life Sciences company, have signed a service agreement to develop the cell line for the company's CDX bispecific antibody for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Under the agreement, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals will leverage Selexis' proprietary SUREtechnology Platform, a suite of cell line development tools and technologies that significantly reduces the time, effort, and costs associated with developing high-performance mammalian cell lines. Hemogenyx’ shares jumped 7% to 1.93 pence in early trading.

The CDX bispecific is made using the Hemogenyx' proprietary humanized monoclonal antibody against a target on the surface of AML cells. CDX was co-developed by Hemogenyx and US pharma major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY). This cutting-edge application of immune therapy offers a potentially more benign and effective form of treatment that, if successful, could have a significant impact on treatment and survival rates for AML. Following the completion of the co-development phase, Lilly granted the company an exclusive worldwide license to certain intellectual property developed by Lilly related to the CDX bispecific antibody for all uses, including the treatment of AML and other blood cancers.