Horizon Discovery Group plc, a leading provider of research tools to support translational genomics and the development of personalized medicines, today announced that its Bioproduction division has shipped its first commercially available engineered CHO cell line for use in manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies. Horizon’s innovative licensing model brings these cutting edge bioproduction cells within reach of companies of all sizes, reducing timelines and costs associated with the development of large molecule drugs (biotherapeutics). The product represents a new revenue stream for the Company in a business area that is anticipated will be a further driver of growth going forward.
Cell line development for the manufacturing of biotherapeutics was not envisaged as a significant revenue stream at the time of Horizon’s IPO, but has since emerged as a significant opportunity allowing the Company to tap into a biomanufacturing market valued at £1.8 billion in 2012 and anticipated to grow to £2.9 billion by 2017. [1]
The Glutamine Synthetase GS system is currently the industry gold standard as it enables use of a metabolic selection process without the need for chemical inhibitors, which are both toxic and expensive. This in turn reduces the timelines associated with identifying specific cells that produce high levels of the biotherapeutic. Access to state of the art cell lines for biomanufacturing has previously been limited by high costs and restrictive licensing conditions. Horizon is adopting a flexible new licensing model with simplified terms and no associated royalties, enabling companies of all sizes to be able to improve their upstream bioprocessing.
This latest development is the first step in Horizon’s strategy towards building a comprehensive Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) bioproduction cell line platform.
Dr. Brian Burke, Business Development Director, Horizon Discovery Group plc, said: “Cell line development has until now been a rate limiting step for improving upstream bioprocessing, particularly for challenging biomolecules. We see this as a key step to drive the potential for personalized medicine.”
Dr. Darrin M. Disley, Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Discovery Group plc, added “This work, based on a previously announced partnership with a major pharmaceutical partner, is a further example of how Horizon leverages customer projects and grant funding to generate revenue, profit and milestones for the business.”
[1] BCC Research Molecular Diagnostics: Technologies and Global Markets, March 2013
For more information please visit www.horizonbioproduction.com
About Horizon Discovery
Horizon (LSE:HZD) is a revenue-generating life science company supplying research tools to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines. Horizon has a diverse and international customer base approaching 1,000 organizations across nearly 50 countries, including major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic companies as well as leading academic research centers. The Company supplies its products and services into multiple markets, estimated to total in excess of £29 billion by 2015.
Horizon’s core capabilities are built around its proprietary translational genomics platform, GENESIS™, a high-precision and flexible suite of gene editing tools able to alter almost any endogenous gene sequence of human or mammalian cell-lines. Horizon offers almost 2,200 products, almost all of which are based on the application of GENESIS™ to generate cell lines that accurately model the disease-causing mutations found in genetically based diseases. These ‘patients-in-a-test-tube’ are being used by customers to identify the effect of individual or compound genetic mutations on drug activity, patient responsiveness, and resistance, which may lead to the successful prediction of which patient sub-groups will respond to currently available and future drug treatments.
In addition, Horizon provides GENASSIST™ CRISPR and rAAV gene editing tools, custom cell line generation services for research and bioproduction applications, quantitative molecular reference standards, in vivo disease models, contract research and custom screening services, custom shRNA development services and off-the-shelf validated shRNA (through Horizon’s partner Sirion), and haploid cell lines (through Horizon’s partner Haplogen). These latter partnerships provide Horizon with almost 11,000 further products for our customers.
Horizon is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker “HZD”, for further information please visit: www.horizondiscovery.com
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For further information from Horizon Discovery Group Plc, please contact:
Zyme Communications (Trade and Regional Media)
Katie Odgaard
Tel: +44 (0)7787 502 947
Email: katie.odgaard@zymecommunications.com
Consilium Strategic Communications (Financial Media and Investor Relations)
Amber Bielecka / Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / Matthew Neal
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701
Email: horizon@consilium-comms.com
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited (NOMAD)
Corporate Finance: Freddy Crossley / Duncan Monteith / Fred Walsh
Broking: Tom Salvesen
Tel: +44 20 7886 2500
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