Biocon Biologics to make new antibody to fight, prevent COVID

Vaccines alone will not protect and make the world safer: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

July 27, 2021 04:18 am | Updated 04:18 am IST - Bengaluru

India's Biocon Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. File

India's Biocon Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. File

Biocon Biologics Ltd., a biosimilars firm and subsidiary of Biocon Ltd., on Monday said it had further stepped up its fight against the pandemic and would be expanding its COVID portfolio with the addition of a novel antibody.

The biosimilars firm has been granted an exclusive licence by the U.S.-based Adagio Therapeutics to manufacture and commercialise an antibody treatment based on ADG20 for India and select emerging markets, it said in a statement.

ADG20, a novel monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, was in global clinical development by Adagio as a single agent for both the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its variants, as well as future variants that may emerge, it said.

With its potential to address resistant variants, including the Delta variant, and its ability to be administered easily as a single, intramuscular injection in the outpatient setting, ADG20 was uniquely poised to address the current need for an effective, safe and convenient therapy for COVID-19, said a joint statement issued by Biocon Biologics and Adagio Therapeutics.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Biologics Ltd, said: This partnership with Adagio aligns our joint vision of bringing superior biologic therapies to millions of patients in low and middle income countries. Vaccines alone will not protect and make the world safer. Biologic therapies that arrest the virus in its path of devastation are a necessity for sustainable protection and safety.”

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