VELTIS® - Albumin technology by Novozymes Biopharma UK Ltd

Human albumin is ideally suited as a half-life extension approach for protein drugs. It is a natural, non-immunogenic plasma carrier protein which is extremely stable, highly soluble and large enough to avoid renal clearance. It is also widely accepted that albumin is recycled in the body, due to its interaction with its receptor, known as the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). FcRn is present on many cell types, and is responsible for rescuing the molecule from degradation in the lysosome.

The combination of albumin’s large size and the FcRn-mediated “recycling” is responsible for the increased half-life of drugs that are genetically fused or conjugated to albumin as exemplified by GSK and TEVA who have Novozymes’ Veltis® technology enabled protein drugs in pivotal Phase III studies.

The huge market demand for drugs which work more effectively and have a longer circulatory half-life has led to the formation of many companies who are developing half-life extension technologies. However, Novozymes’ technology is the ONLY technology using natural-functioning, animal-free recombinant albumin. In addition, flexible manufacturing options mean that the technology can be used with any class of molecule.

The combination of these unique elements means Novozymes’ technology can help partners develop and take improved and innovative drugs from clinic to market more efficiently and cost effectively.