News

KBio Announces Strategic Partnership with ZabBio to Discover and Develop Antibody Therapeutics

September 13, 2022

• Agreement combines drug discovery and plant-based platform expertise to accelerate discovery and development of a new generation of biologics-based medicines for areas of high unmet need
• KBio secures rights to ZabBio’s current monoclonal antibody (mAb) pipeline and associated intellectual property as well as rights to future products

LONDON and SAN DIEGO— September 12, 2022—KBio, a leading developer of new biological treatments derived from a plant-based production system, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with ZabBio to develop a new generation of mAbs, as well as advance the development of select assets within ZabBio’s current mAb pipeline.

Patrick Doyle, CEO of KBio, commented, “This partnership allows us to expand and build on our successful track record of working with ZabBio over the past decade. Through this partnership, we will significantly increase our in-house research and development capabilities, combining our extensive expertise to discover and develop a new generation of biologics-based medicines for a broad range of high unmet needs. ZabBio’s remarkable ability to identify antibody candidates suitable for our unique plant-based platform will be integral to expanding our growing pipeline. Utilising our unique technology, we believe we could address some of today’s major challenges in protein drug development with a goal of significantly reducing the time and cost currently required.”

Dr. Kevin Whaley, CEO of ZabBio, commented, “The ZabBio team is well-versed in KBio’s plant-based platform and the exciting potential of the  antibody therapeutics derived from this unique technology. We are excited to join forces with the KBio discovery team in San Diego to continue to create and accelerate the development of novel mAb therapies. Together, we have the potential to make a positive health impact by expanding future availability of effective mAb treatments globally.”

Under the terms of the agreement, KBio will have development rights to select assets within ZabBio’s current pipeline of antibody therapies and associated intellectual property – including a late-stage preclinical anti-fungal mAb – as well as future products discovered under the collaboration.

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About KBio

KBio aims to create a new generation of biologics using its plant-based platform that has demonstrated the ability to create drug candidates at a fraction of the time and cost of conventional platforms. It is focused on developing novel product candidates in two core areas: 1) antibody therapies for areas of high unmet need; and 2) pandemic preparedness and response using its plant-based production system to create antibodies and vaccines in shorter timeframes than industry norms.

KBio is comprised of KBio Holdings Limited, a UK-incorporated subsidiary of BAT, and its subsidiary, KBio Inc., which conducts its operations in the U.S.  For more information, please visit www.kbio.com.

About ZabBio, Inc.

ZabBio, Inc. is a privately held company in San Diego, CA dedicated to developing monoclonal antibody-based products that address unmet needs in infectious diseases and reproductive health.

For more information, please visit www.zabbio.com.