BERKELEY, Calif., July 31 (UPI) -- U.S. company Xoma has received a subcontract to produce novel antibody drugs as part of a U.S. government biological defense initiative.
Xoma was awarded the contract from California-based SRI International. Under the $1.7 million deal, Xoma will produce antibody drugs against the virus that causes the infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome.
As part of the biological defense contract, funded by SRI and the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Xoma will evaluate antibodies for "growth, productivity, manufacturability and performance in bio-reactors," a news release said.
"We are pleased that Xoma has been selected for this important new project," Steven Engle, Xoma chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"Currently, the federal government is funding another key project under which we will develop and evaluate antibody products to the botulinum neurotoxin, with the goal of entering into a long-term manufacturing and stockpiling contract."
