)  has acquired Therapeutic Human Polyclonals, Inc. (THP, Mountain View, CA, 

), a privately-owned  biotechnology company based in California and Germany. THP has developed a  unique transgenic mammalian platform to create human antibodies. The technology  will enable the generation of both monoclonal and polyclonal antibody  therapeutics with enhanced efficacy. With its focus on innovative antibody  research, THP will be a valuable addition to Roche’s research organization.  Roche paid $56.5 million in cash to acquire 100% ownership of THP and plans to  fully integrate THP into the Roche Pharma Center of Excellence for Protein  Research in Penzberg, Germany.

In another alliance, Roche has inked a pact with Transgene (Strasbourg  Cedex, France, 

) for  therapeutic vaccines against HPV-mediated diseases. The companies have entered  into an exclusive worldwide collaboration agreement to develop and  commercialize products from Transgene’s therapeutic vaccine program against  Human Papilloma Virus-mediated diseases. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is  associated with the development of precancerous lesions and cancer of the  cervix. The agreement includes Transgene's lead therapeutic vaccine candidate  TG 4001 (MVA-HPV-IL2), currently in clinical development to treat high grade  cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2/3), a precancerous cervical  abnormality that can lead to cervical cancer.

News

Roche (Basel, Switzerland, www.roche.com) has acquired Therapeutic Human Polyclonals, Inc. (THP, Mountain View, CA, www.polyclonals.com), a privately-owned biotechnology company based in California and Germany.