Research Partnership to Focus on Transporting Biological Drugs Through the Blood Brain Barrier

A research partnership has been established to merge biological drugs such as peptides, enzymes, and antibodies with a proprietary technology that allows these large molecules to easily penetrate the blood brain barrier.

The biotechnology company to-BBB (Leiden, The Netherlands) has been developing novel treatments for brain disorders by combining existing drugs with its proprietary brain drug delivery platform. Their core platform is called G-Technology, which stands for liposomes coated with glutathione-conjugated PEG (polyethylene glycol). Glutathione, a natural antioxidant, is found at high levels in the brain, and its receptor is abundantly expressed at the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, glutathione uniquely minimizes common risks such as adverse immunological reactions or interference with life-essential physiological pathways. Few other available methods are able to enhance the brain delivery of drugs with the favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profile of the G-Technology.

The other partner, Genzyme Corporation (Cambridge, MA, USA) is one of the world's leading biotechnology companies. Genzyme's products and services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease, orthopedics, cancer, transplant and immune disease, and diagnostic testing.

At this point, to-BBB has shown proof of concept of the effectiveness of G-Technology in different disease models, and now Genzyme will evaluate the technology in its disease models. The collaboration with to-BBB will provide Genzyme with an opportunity to improve brain delivery of biological treatments to improve the lives of patients with brain disease.

Geoff McDonough, senior vice president at Genzyme said, "This collaboration will explore an essential component of our work to deliver therapies to the brain, and could further our commitment to patients with neuronopathic disease."

"We look forward to collaborating with Genzyme," said Willem van Weperen, CEO of to-BBB. "Combining the expertise of Genzyme in neurodegenerative diseases with to-BBB's brain delivery knowledge, should lead to further progress in treating patients with brain diseases with biological drugs."

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to-BBB
Genzyme Corporation