KBI Biopharma acquires Alliance Protein Laboratories, expands biophysical characterization capabilities.
KBI Biopharma, Inc. has agreed to acquire the assets of San Diego-based Alliance Protein Laboratories, an analytical services company specializing in biophysical characterization of biopharmaceuticals. Founded in 1998, Alliance is known around the world for its expertise in characterization of therapeutic proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and vaccines.
Recognized as an expert in analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), an essential technology for determining physical stability, association state, molecular weight and quantitative characterization of protein aggregates, Alliance was also a pioneer in the use of biophysical methods to demonstrate that the higher order structure of biosimilar proteins and generic peptide therapeutics is comparable to the innovator product.
Alliance has supported biosimilar developers since 2003, and has experience across a broad range of biosimilar targets.
This acquisition will complement KBI’s extensive analytical and biophysical characterization capabilities, and expands those capabilities to include AUC. All of Alliance’s staff, including co-founders Tsutomu Arakawa, Ph.D. and John Philo, Ph.D. will join KBI through the acquisition with Arakawa and Philo continuing to oversee operations in the San Diego-based laboratory.
This announcement marks another major expansion announced by KBI in 2017, starting with the addition of its cell therapy development and manufacturing operations in The Woodlands, TX this past February. In May, the company announced plans to expand its capabilities at both its Durham, NC and Boulder, CO facilities. On June 14, it was announced that parent company JSR Life Sciences would acquire Geneva-based Selexis SA to integrate with KBI to provide full gene to GMP solutions for clients.
To date, KBI has helped to advance more than 300 molecules in 68 unique health indications. With the addition of these expanded analytical capabilities, and by adding a laboratory facility on the West Coast, KBI says it will continue to accelerate an even broader range of drug development programs for its global client base.
KBI Biopharma is a biopharmaceutical Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that accelerates the development of discoveries into biological products. From early-stage biotech to academic/non-profit organizations and large pharmaceutical companies, KBI has served 250+ clients globally to accelerate and optimize their drug development programs.
Alliance Protein Laboratories is a contract research and consulting firm specializing in biophysical analysis. It offers a broad range of biophysical characterization services, contract purification services (research scale), and consulting services.
(Source: Business Wire)
