Together against Corona: Amgen relies on knowledge transfer and development partnerships
13.05.2020 13:50
Recent study results from Iceland - published in the New England Journal of Medicine - underscore the need for SARS-CoV-2 testing, social distancing and quarantine measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The researchers from deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of the biotechnology expert Amgen, examined the virus strains found in Iceland and traced the spread of the virus. These data on the molecular epidemiology of Covid-19 are intended to help contain the disease worldwide.
The development partnership between Amgen and Adaptive Biotechnologies is also based on knowledge transfer: the two companies are working together on an antibody therapy against SARS-CoV-2. At the same time, Amgen has examined its portfolio and is planning a clinical study to inhibit excessive immune reactions in Covid-19. The aim of the joint study by the Icelandic Health Authority and the company deCODE is to provide an overview of how the virus spreads in a population. By sequencing virus samples, deCODE specialists were able to identify different strains of the coronavirus and show how the virus came to Iceland, spread and mutated. While the virus initially came primarily from Austria and Italy, there are now a large and growing number of virus strains in Iceland. The data suggests that the virus was introduced to Iceland from many countries and that sick people were spreading the disease before symptoms appeared. In the second half of March, infection rates remained constant, indicating the effectiveness of social distancing and tracking and isolation of cases.
Adaptive Biotechnologies and Amgen: Joint antibody development
“We are convinced that all forces must be pooled in the fight against the corona pandemic,” says Dr. Roman Stampfli, Managing Director of Amgen GmbH. “One example is deCODE’s research to provide scientific data on the spread of the virus. Amgen also works in the joint ACTIV alliance of the European Medicines Agency, the American National Institutes of Health and other public and private partners to accelerate vaccine and therapeutic development. We are also planning a clinical study with one of our active ingredients that could help with excessive immune reactions that occur in some Covid-19 patients.
Another example is the cooperation between Amgen and Adaptive Biotechnologies. The companies are combining their biotechnology expertise to jointly develop an antibody therapy to treat Covid-19.” The body's own antibodies are normally used by the immune system to fight pathogens such as viruses. They can detect the specific virus and stop it from infecting cells and causing further damage. The aim of the collaboration between the two biotech companies is to biotechnologically produce these human virus-neutralizing antibodies and thus help patients fight the coronavirus. The know-how of the two partners intertwines: Adaptive Biotechnologies' immunomedicine platform enables tens of thousands of human antibodies from Covid-19 patients to be tested in order to select those that can bind and neutralize SARS-CoV-2. Amgen brings its expertise in immunology and many years of experience in antibody engineering to produce innovative antibodies against the coronavirus.
credentials
Gudbjartsson, D.F. et al. NEJM 2020; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2006100;
https://www.nejm.org/doi/metrics/10.1056/NEJMoa2006100