Boehringer Ingelheim join hands with Servier

Singapore: Boehringer Ingelheim signed an agreement with Servier and its partner, XOMA, to transfer the latters technology and process for the commercial manufacture of gevokizumab, XOMA's novel interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) allosteric modulating antibody. Gevokizumab is currently in phase III clinical development in patients with non-infectious uveitis (NIU).

Upon completion of the transfer and the establishment of biological comparability, Boehringer is expected to produce gevokizumab at its facility in Biberach, Germany, for Servier's commercial use. Servier and XOMA retain all rights to the development and commercialization of gevokizumab. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Mr John Varian, CEO, XOMA, said that, "Together with Servier, we selected Boehringer Ingelheim because they are recognized globally as a leader in manufacturing monoclonal antibodies at a commercial scale. During our conversations with the team at Boehringer Ingelheim, we concluded they are the right partner for both XOMA and Servier." He further added, "They have a well-established track record of successful technology transfers, which gave us confidence in their ability to transfer the gevokizumab production process from our Berkeley facility to their Biberach facility and to be fully prepared with documentation to support regulatory filings in U.S. and other countries. Ultimately, we wanted a partner who could produce materials in both Europe and the U.S., and with Boehringer Ingelheim, we will have that capability."

Mr Simon Sturge, corporate senior VP, biopharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, commented that, "We are delighted to be chosen by Servier and XOMA as their manufacturing partner for gevokizumab, and we look forward to leveraging our more than 35 years expertise in this area to support both companies in further executing their clinical development strategies for gevokizumab."

"Gevokizumab is Servier's first molecule in clinical development produced by a bioprocess. Considering the expertise and the long experience of Boehringer Ingelheim in this area, we have found them as an ideal partner for the production of both clinical supplies and later commercial units of this very promising new molecule" said Mr Christian Sauveur, industrial general director, Servier.