Covalab, CheMatech, Oncodesign, and ABX-CRO Launch Integrated...
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Covalab, CheMatech, Oncodesign, and ABX-CRO Launch Integrated Service Offer DRIVE-MRT

Pharma Tech Outlook | Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Nuclear medicine's new integrated drug discovery offering enables specialized partners to offer the pharmaceutical industry a one-of-a-kind service solution for theranostic drug development, from discovery to clinical phases.

FREMONT, CA: ONCODESIGN (ALONC -FR0011766229), a French biopharmaceutical company specializing in precision medicine; Covalab (Bron, France), a biotechnology company specializing in the design and production of custom antibodies; CheMatech (Dijon, France), the European leader in the design, synthesis, and supply of chelating agents, and ABX-CRO (Dresden, Germany), the world's leading full-service contract research organization (CRO) for molecular imaging and radiotherapy, collaborates. This strategic collaboration paves the way for the commercialization of the DRIVE-MRT (Molecular Radiotherapy) solution. This innovative, premium service offering for therapeutic development is unique in nuclear medicine; it encompasses the entire theranostics drug discovery process, from therapeutic target validation to radiolabeled biological vector generation, lead optimization, preclinical candidate drug generation, and IND submission, to clinical trial design and management.

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The DRIVE-MRT offer is built on each partner’s complementary knowledge and expertise, who together form an experienced and innovative nuclear medicine network. It encompasses the entire spectrum of technologies necessary for target validation, vector generation and optimization, radiochemistry and PET/SPECT imaging techniques, small animal and clinical dosimetry, and specialized support for regulatory and clinical studies involving radiopharmaceuticals. The partners have also collaborated for many years, including on the PharmImage® pharmaco-imaging platform.

This one-of-a-kind offering is based on each partner's unique expertise and international recognition in the field of nuclear medicine. The DRIVE"-MRT offer is innovative in that it provides clients with a continuum of cutting-edge technological platforms (CovIsoLink®, PharmImage®, and Qdose®) and corresponding expertise at each validation stage of theranostic drug candidate development. The partners' historical collaborations and their shared, recognized expertise in project management enable global or partial support for the effect of molecular radiotherapy and the associated diagnostic agent.

"We are thrilled with this new strategic partnership. We can now offer our pharmaceutical clients a full-continuum, premium radiopharmaceutical drug discovery engine, from preclinic to clinic, together with leading partners. Historically, Oncodesign has delivered innovative drug discovery programs on behalf of third-party clients-this partnership heralds a new chapter for our integrated drug discovery DRIVE "¢ offer," says Fabrice Viviani, general manager and head of the Oncodesign service business unit.

“Covalab is pleased to be a part of this unique DRIVE-MRT project in which we are very keen to bring our know-how and innovative platforms in DNA immunization, nanobodies, humanization, etc. This will help in developing innovative molecules for the immunodiagnostic and immunoradiotherapy markets, which are gaining increasing attention from pharmaceutical companies,” explains Meddy El Alaoui, CSO at Covalab.

“We are really excited to launch this new service offer with our partners Oncodesign, Covalab and ABX-CRO. We can now supply our customers with a global solution and expertise ranging from the production of chelating agents, our core business, to clinical trials. This new step is key for CheMatech in the extension of our services in the development of radiopharmaceuticals,” says Frédéric Boschetti, CEO of CheMatech.

“ABX-CRO is delighted to be part of the DRIVE-MRT services offering to provide an integrated solution for theranostic radiopharmaceutical needs. It is now possible for customers to access a high-end nuclear medicine solution in oncology. All the specialties are brought together to offer a turnkey solution. With our unique translational medicine approach, we are ready to develop our clients’ products from early non-clinical studies to multicenter studies in humans, and to support our clients' market authorization,” says Andreas Kluge, CEO and medical director of ABX-CRO.

The DRIVE-MRT offering complements Oncodesigns Integrated Drug Discovery Service, DRIVE-IDDSTM, which includes theranostic capabilities. The comprehensive DRIVE-MRT solution is unique. It enables the rationalization, design, and optimization of targeted and effective radiopharmaceuticals against specific cancers while also demonstrating preclinical proof of safety margins and a clinical support plan.

In October 2021, Oncodesign will host a webinar to showcase the DRIVE-MRT solution and the expertise of its partners.

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