MilliporeSigma Collaborates with Angiex to Speed Clinical Readiness of New Cancer Therapy

- Project is first for MilliporeSigma's Massachusetts BioReliance^® End-to-End Solutions center

- Collaboration gives Angiex access to MilliporeSigma's process development tools and technologies

BILLERICA, Mass., Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ -- MilliporeSigma today announced a new collaboration with Angiex, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, to support the biotechnology start-up's ability to speed its lead oncology antibody drug candidate to clinical use. Angiex is developing an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy for cancer against a vascular target, TM4SF1.

The collaboration with Angiex is the first project to be undertaken at MilliporeSigma's new biodevelopment center in Massachusetts. MilliporeSigma will give Angiex access to end-to-end process development tools, education programs and training to support its success.

"Companies benefit from our expertise and experience in developing GMP manufacturing processes for early clinical development programs," said Udit Batra, CEO, MilliporeSigma. "With an end-to-end approach, MilliporeSigma can facilitate and accelerate scaling and technical transfer for companies like Angiex."

Angiex CEO Dr. Paul Jaminet applauded MilliporeSigma's broad range of process development capabilities and services for customers at all stages of molecule development and commercialization. "Through this collaboration, Angiex hopes to accelerate our path to the clinic. We appreciate MilliporeSigma's expertise in bringing to cancer patients an innovative treatment capable of addressing the most dangerous solid tumors," Jaminet said.

MilliporeSigma's BioReliance^® End-to-End Solutions delivers products and services allowing biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate the progression of potential new therapies from the laboratory into clinical trial and on toward commercialization. The turnkey package includes process development, cGMP manufacturing, facility design, equipment for pilot-plant production, process and equipment training, technology transfer, equipment qualification and set-up for commercialization. To further support its global BioReliance^® End-to-End Solutions, MilliporeSigma will inaugurate its new biodevelopment center in Burlington, Massachusetts, in October 2017.

MilliporeSigma's BioReliance^® End-to-End Solutions is part of the Process Solutions business area within the Life Science business.

About Angiex
Angiex was founded by world-class scientists to develop vascular-targeted biotherapeutics. Angiex targets fundamental aspects of endothelial biology with a focus on angiogenesis. Angiex's lead product is an antibody-drug conjugate therapy for cancer. Angiex is resident at LabCentral in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 19,000 employees and 65 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of €15 billion in 2016. Around 50,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. The company holds the global rights to the name and the trademark "Merck" internationally except for the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

SOURCE MilliporeSigma

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