Novozymes and Upperton join hands on nanoparticle drug technology

Under the terms of the agreement Upperton will use rP-nano technology to generate nanoparticles from recombinant proteins expressed in Novozymes’s proprietary, yeast-based expression system. The agreement extends previous collaborations between the two companies and will focus on the commercial exploitation of the jointly-owned rP-nano technology: a highly targeted drug delivery system which utilizes the natural binding properties of recombinant protein nanoparticles to enhance drug and gene bioavailability.

Uniquely, rP-nano technology can generate precisely-sized nanoparticles within the range of 10nm to 120nm and can be optimised for Enhanced Permeability and Retention effect. The nanoparticles produced through this process retain the natural binding properties of the recombinant proteins from which they are made, and bind to specific cell types to enable more targeted drug delivery and improved bioavailability.

Dave Mead, UK based business development director of Novozymes, said: “This is further exemplification of Novozymes’s high yielding expression systems being used for the production of pharmaceutical grade recombinant proteins.”