Amaran Biotechnology picks Stellar KLH for cancer vaccines

Stellar Biotechnologies and biopharmaceuticals manufacturer Amaran Biotechnology have entered into an exclusive multi-year supply agreement regarding studies of immunotherapies for various cancers, including breast cancer.

The agreement follows a two-year development collaboration between the companies involving the optimization of manufacturing processes for a KLH-conjugated vaccine known as Adagloxad Simolenin (formerly OBI-822), now in late-stage clinical studies.

“This supply agreement with Stellar secures sustainable access to KLH, a key ingredient required to manufacture Adagloxad Simolenin, a therapeutic cancer vaccine which Amaran is producing for its client, OBI Pharma, Inc.,” said Tessie Che, Amaran General Manager and Chair of its Board of Directors.

Brian Stamper, Director of Business Development at Amaran, further highlighted that this agreement strongly supports the joint effort of all three companies to move this valuable immunotherapy closer to regulatory approval and commercial launch.

Stellar President and CEO Frank Oakes said that he was pleased to build on the success of the collaboration. “This new agreement with Amaran provides us with another validation of the Stellar KLH carrier platform and marks an important step in the development of new treatment options for devastating cancers,” said Oakes.

Under the terms of the supply agreement, Amaran will buy Stellar KLH in amounts necessary to meet its requirements for vaccine production, while Stellar will file with the U.S. FDA for the KLH product used by Amaran. In addition to Adagloxad Simolenin, the exclusive supply agreement covers cancer immunotherapies and vaccines that combine tumor antigens known as Globo H to one of Stellar’s KLH product formulations.