Kaneka launches a joint research group of biomedicine production technologies with University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Belgium.
–Aiming to strengthen and expand the biomedicine CDMO business–
Kaneka Corporation
November 19, 2020
November 19, 2020
On October 15th, Kaneka Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Minoru Tanaka) and its affiliate Kaneka Eurogentec S.A. (Headquarters: Liège, Belgium; President: Lieven Janssens) signed a research collaboration agreement with the biomedical research institute “de Duve Institute” (Brussels, Belgium; President: Luc Bertrand) of University of Louvain (referred to below as “UCLouvain”: Walloon Brabant, Belgium; Rector: Vincent Blondel) in order to develop innovative biomedicine production technologies. This aims to strengthen and expand the Kaneka group’s CDMO business for biomedicines and vaccines against viral infectious diseases.
The de Duve Institute of UCLouvain is a world-leading biomedical research institute established by Dr. Christian de Duve, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1974. The institute is actively promoting open innovation while focusing on basic medical research. The joint research will develop innovative production technologies by combining the microbial expertise of the de Duve Institute with Kaneka’s accumulated experiences and technologies of microbial production of biomedicines such as proteins and plasmid DNA. The dramatic improvements in productivity by using these technologies will provide solutions to social issues such as reducing the costs of expensive biomedicines, and will contribute to spreading biomedicines and vaccines against viral infectious diseases.
Kaneka has set up an “Infection Research Team” to promote research on countermeasures against infectious diseases such as COVID-19, and is providing a wide range of solutions that include manufacturing of DNA vaccines, supplying the drug substance for “AVIGAN”, developing antiviral drugs, and providing PCR test kits. Kaneka has designated “HEALTH” as one of priority fields and is actively investing resources in the biomedicine-related business, and will continue to expand the business increasingly into the future.
The de Duve Institute of UCLouvain is a world-leading biomedical research institute established by Dr. Christian de Duve, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1974. The institute is actively promoting open innovation while focusing on basic medical research. The joint research will develop innovative production technologies by combining the microbial expertise of the de Duve Institute with Kaneka’s accumulated experiences and technologies of microbial production of biomedicines such as proteins and plasmid DNA. The dramatic improvements in productivity by using these technologies will provide solutions to social issues such as reducing the costs of expensive biomedicines, and will contribute to spreading biomedicines and vaccines against viral infectious diseases.
Kaneka has set up an “Infection Research Team” to promote research on countermeasures against infectious diseases such as COVID-19, and is providing a wide range of solutions that include manufacturing of DNA vaccines, supplying the drug substance for “AVIGAN”, developing antiviral drugs, and providing PCR test kits. Kaneka has designated “HEALTH” as one of priority fields and is actively investing resources in the biomedicine-related business, and will continue to expand the business increasingly into the future.
＜General description of Kaneka Eurogentec S.A.＞
- Headquarters
- Liège, Belgium
- President
- Lieven Janssens
- Description of business
- Manufacturing and sales of proteins, nucleic acids and peptides for medicinal, diagnostic and basic research uses
- Established
- 1985
- Capital
- 31 million euros
- URL
- http://www.eurogentec.com/
< General description of University of Louvain (UCLouvain)>
- Location
- Walloon Brabant, Belgium
- Rector
- Vincent Blondel
- University
- Around 32,000 students
- Established
- 1425
- URL
- https://uclouvain.be/fr/index.html
< General description of de Duve Institute>
- Location
- Brussels, Belgium
- President
- Luc Bertrand
- Research institute
- Around 250 researchers in six fields, including cancer, infectious diseases and genetics. Many publications in prominent scientific journals, including “Nature”, “Science” and “Cell”, and has made significant achievements in the field of medicine.
- Established
- 1974
- URL
- https://www.deduveinstitute.be/
