CordenPharma Leverages Peptide Drug Discovery and Development with GENEPEP and Works on Reducing Emissions

On April 17, 2024, CordenPharma, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that manufactures APIs and injectable products, provided an update on the company’s partnership with GENEPEP, a contract research organization (CRO) that designs, synthesizes, and optimizes peptides, peptide libraries, and proteins. The CDMO and CRO created their partnership in 2023 to support biotech companies with the development and manufacturing of peptides for early clinical phases.

To assist their clients, the CDMO and CRO have combined CordenPharma’s current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) capacities and regulatory experience with GENEPEP’s discovery and drug development knowledge. GENEPEP provides research and discovery services and support for initial investigational new drug (IND) applications, which includes selection of lead and alternative compounds, research grade samples, and gram peptide manufacturing samples. CordenPharma then provides early clinical GMP manufacturing at its Frankfurt site, as well as access to the company’s global sales and marketing organization.

“With our new early clinical GMP peptide manufacturing investment in Frankfurt and the strategic partnership with GENEPEP, we are proud to strengthen our peptide offering for biotech and pharma customers in early discovery to first-in-human clinical stage,” said Stéphane Varray, CordenPharma’s Global Peptide Platform director, in a press release (1). “In the past 12 months, we have demonstrated together how this collaboration has simplified and expedited the critical milestones of lead development and validation in a clinical setting, bringing added value for our global customers.”

“Thanks to this collaboration between GENEPEP [and] CordenPharma, customers of both companies now have access to collaborative and specialized teams tailored to meet the needs of each of the research and development phases of their project,” added Karine Puget, founder and CEO of GENEPEP.

CordenPharma also announced on April 17 the launch of a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) β-sitosterol process that supports sustainable emission reduction targets (2). In December 2022, CordenPharma joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and evaluated and developed science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In February 2024, the company introduced β-sitosterol, which enhances endosome escape ability and advances messenger RNA transfection efficacy.

“Because of our commitment to SBTi targets, during the process design of β-sitosterol we prioritized the identification of a reliable and sustainable source of starting material for its production, thereby reducing the high CO₂ [carbon dioxide] emissions impact normally in place with traditional chemical steps requiring solvents and chemical consumption. Working closely with members of the American Forest & Paper Association, known for their leadership in sustainable forest management practices, CordenPharma committed to the responsible sourcing of an innovative plant-based β-sitosterol starting material derived from softwoods used in the kraft paper making process, and in the process ensured that every harvested tree is replaced by three new trees,” the company stated in a press release (2). “The β-sitosterol production process concludes with a sophisticated purification technology, enabling the recycling of over 98% of the main eluent directly into the same process, further enhancing sustainability and resource efficiency. These actions reinforce CordenPharma’s green initiatives and further our overall goal to create efficient SBTi reduction targets.”

“Joining the Science Based Targets initiative underscores our unwavering commitment to sustainability in order to combat climate change,” Matthieu Giraud, CordenPharma’s senior director, Global Lipids & Carbohydrates Platform, said in the release. “We recognize the urgent need for action, and through this initiative, we are taking concrete steps—as exemplified in our implementation of sustainable β-sitosterol production—to reduce our environmental footprint not only in our facilities, but across our platforms using innovative technologies that contribute to a healthier planet.”

References

1. CordenPharma. CordenPharma & GENEPEP Celebrate Strong Collaboration Leveraging Peptide Drug Substance Discovery & Clinical Development Expertise. Press Release. April 17, 2024. https://cordenpharma.com/articles/press-release-cordenpharma-genepep-leverage-peptide-drug-substance-discovery-and-clinical-expertise/

2. CordenPharma. Launch of Innovative LNP β-sitosterol Process Supports Sustainable Emission Reduction Targets. Press Release. April 17, 2024. https://cordenpharma.com/articles/innovative-beta-sitosterol-process-supports-sustainable-emission-reduction-targets/