Regeneron develops Ebola antibody drug with $38M from feds

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. will use the proprietary technologies at its Westchester laboratories to develop and manufacture an antibody drug to treat Ebola virus infections in a rapid-response initiative funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.

Regeneron officials said on Sept. 21 the federal authority ”” which works with private companies to increase manufacturing capacity and speed up production of vaccines and drug therapies in the U.S. to combat potential epidemics of influenza and other infectious diseases ”” initially will fund about $17 million to support Regeneron”™s Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agreement between the state”™s largest biotech employer and the development authority provides for an additional $21 million in federal funding for Regeneron”™s Phase 1 clinical study in healthy volunteers planned for next January.

Regeneron said its scientists have developed a novel drug “cocktail” of three antibodies against the Ebola virus, using its proprietary VelociGene and VelocImmune technologies. The company has conducted pre-clinical studies in animal models of Ebola virus infection.

Sanofi, the French pharmaceutical company with which Regeneron has partnered in antibody discovery and development since 2009, has opt-in rights for development and commercialization of the new Ebola drug, Regeneron officials said.

Neil Stahl, executive vice president of research and development at Regeneron headquarters in Greenburgh, called Ebola “one of the most critical global health crises of recent times.  In the midst of an emerging outbreak, every day counts for people who are infected or at risk. Regeneron’s technologies create manufacturing-ready cell lines of validated fully human antibodies in just months, offering the distinct promise of better treatments in shorter timeframes.”

Regeneron officials said the company”™s antibody rapid-response technology platform also has been used to produce antibodies against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and can be similarly used for other emerging infectious diseases.

Trading in Regeneron stock on NASDAQ opened at $551.55 a share on Monday, when the company”™s agreement with the development authority was announced, and closed at $529.38 a share.