Numaferm, a Germany-based biotech company, specialized in the production of pepteins, and Zoetis, the global leading animal health company, have signed a licensing agreement for the development and production of defined veterinary therapeutics. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Pepteins are an underdeveloped class of molecules located between peptides and proteins (with a length of 30-300 amino acids). Pepteins are non-structured and complex posing a challenge for manufacturing, yet exert a high biological activity, wherefore they play an increasing role as innovative molecules in a range of industries, including animal and human health. To date, peptein production via chemical synthesis or recombinant approaches is cumbersome, leading to time and resource-intensive development programs. This, in combination with high production costs, limits promising peptein applications. The proprietary high-titer expression platform NumaswitchTM changes this situation and enables the access to pepteins within weeks.
“We appreciate Numaferm’s expertise in the expression of therapeutic proteins and peptides, which will enhance our internal capabilities in this field,” said Robert Polzer, Executive Vice President and President, Research and Development at Zoetis. “We look forward to working together to develop innovative therapeutics to meet the needs of our customers.”
Christian Schwarz, CEO at Numaferm GmbH said: “Our mission is supporting our partners with the best-in-class peptein technologies. The partnership collaboration with Zoetis is another milestone for Numaferm, demonstrating the value of our proprietary technologies for pharma projects and beyond.”
About Zoetis
As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock farmers and ranchers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $8.1 billion in 2022 with approximately 13,800 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.
About Numaferm GmbH
Numaferm GmbH is a German biotech company based in Düsseldorf, Germany, specializing in the biochemical production of pepteins. The company offers its technology and related research and development services to partners from both pharma and non-pharma sectors. The company was publicly recognized for its pioneering work several times in media and by prestigious awards and is regarded as one of the most innovative and sustainable small and medium sized biotech companies in Europe. For more information, visit www.numaferm.com.
