Posts Tagged: news

ArcticZymes AS, a subsidiary company of Biotec Pharmacon ASA, has received a grant of NOK 5 million from the The Research Council of Norway, for a project titled “Functionalization of enzymes from marine bioprospecting”. The total project budget is NOK approx. 10 million over 3 years.

The project is a user driven innovation project which aims to accelerate the commercialization of new functionalized enzyme solutions in the Bioprospecting program under The Research Council’s Biotek2021 initiative.

ArcticZymes’ enzyme portfolio is expanding quickly, primarily due to the progress of strategic partnerships with MabCent, MARZymes and others, and results from the ongoing InnoZymes project which received funding from The Research Council’s Functional Genomics in Norway (FUGE) program in April 2011.

ArcticZymes is now able to combine its enzymes into new user-friendly kit solutions, providing rational and sample preserving solutions to key applications within molecular biology sample preparation. This new grant makes it possible for ArcticZymes to accelerate completion and launch of such new kit-solutions on the market.

ArcticZymes develops, produces and sells enzymes used in molecular DNA technologies and diagnostics, growth areas with constantly increasing demand for kit solutions rather than single enzyme deliveries.

ArcticZymes AS, the Tromsø-based manufacturer of innovative heat-labile molecular biology enzymes, has signed a supply agreement with New England Biolabs Inc. (NEB) for the supply of Recombinant Shrimp Alkaline Phosphatase (SAP) from ArcticZymes.  NEB plans to offer SAP through its global distribution network. The agreement also allows for the introduction of other ArcticZymes’ products through NEB at a later date.

“We are delighted to expand the reach for our SAP product through this agreement with New England Biolabs, one of the global leaders in the life science market. We believe our enzymes will add value to NEB’s already outstanding product portfolio, and look forward to having the NEB global distribution network greatly increase the addressable market for our products,” states Dr. Jan Buch Andersen, Managing Director at ArcticZymes.

“We are constantly seeking to add unique, quality products that further strengthen our expanding portfolio,” states Dr. Peter Nathan, Executive Director of Global Business Development at NEB. “We expect Recombinant Shrimp Alkaline Phosphatase (SAP) to be a nice addition.”

ArcticZymes AS is a subsidiary of Biotec Pharmacon ASA.

No financial or other deal terms have been disclosed.

ArcticZymes® is pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Dino DiCamillo in a temporary position as worldwide Director of Sales and Marketing. DiCamillo has more than 30 years experience as a commercial and operational leader in the research and diagnostic industry and a proven track record in business development, key account strategy and management, OEM sales, and end-user marketing activities.

The commercial success of ArcticZymes® will depend on successful sales to some of the largest accounts in the molecular biology industry, and the company therefore seeks to enhance its strategic sales capabilities in the important early phase of the global commercialization. DiCamillo has therefore been hired for a period 6-9 months.

Dino DiCamillo is currently the director of Percorso Life Sciences LLC in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, which is supporting ArcticZymes® strategic development and operations in North America. He is therefore already well acquainted with the ArcticZymes® team, product portfolio and business proposition.

“We are glad to have Dino on our team, and his unique experience in this field adds valuable strength to the organization. Our intention is to facilitate our end-users’ research by providing access to our products and technical support in an effective and productive manner,” says Jan Buch Andersen, Managing Director of ArcticZymes® AS.

ArcticZymes AS finalizes its protection of the SAP patent family  

ArcticZymes AS, a subsidiary of Biotec Pharmacon ASA (TICKER: BIOTEC) has received a Notice of Allowance for the Norwegian patent application of the SAP-patent family.

The allowed patent covers the product and its use as well as the method of producing SAP, ArcticZymes’ top-selling enzyme Shrimp Alkaline Phosphatase (SAP). With the approval of this new patent in Norway, ArcticZymes has now a comprehensive patent protection for SAP. There are no further patent applications pending in this patent family, all have been approved. Aside the recently granted Norwegian patent, the SAP-technology is now protected in 17 other countries including major markets like the USA, Japan, UK, Germany, France and Italy.

Adding this patent application to the already large and strong portfolio of existing patent families protecting its main phosphatase, glycosylase and nuclease products, ArcticZymes has now further improved its strong proprietary position on this field. “This latest patent approval will give us the opportunity to secure our home market and prevent third parties from producing, using, selling or marketing SAP in Norway.” said Jan Buch Andersen, Managing Director of ArcticZymes AS. “With the final approval of all SAP-patents, we have now a clear view of the opportunities present in these markets and are now able to focus entirely on the commercialization of this outstanding product.” he adds. ArcticZymes AS develops, produces and sells enzymes used in molecular DNA technologies and diagnostics. The market is highly expansive, and the rapid and diversifying technological development creates a strong market demand for new and improved enzymes.

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

For further information, please contact Managing Director ArcticZymes AS – Jan Buch Andersen – Tel: +47 46746171 CEO Biotec Pharmacon ASA – Svein Lien – Tel: +47 92289323

About Biotec Pharmacon ASA: Biotec Pharmacon is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and manufactures new immunomodulatory products and cold adapted marine enzymes via its two subsidiaries Biotec BetaGlucans AS and ArcticZymes AS. www.biotec.no.

Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act: With the exception of the historical information contained in this release, the matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties that may individually or mutually impact the matters herein described, including but not limited to, product acceptance, the ability to continually obtained increased orders of its products, the ability to meet installation goals, economic, competitive, governmental impacts, whether pending patents will be granted or defendable, validity of intellectual property and patents, the ability to license patents, the ability to commercializedevelopmental products, as well as technological and/or other factors.