Enantis and Qkine sign a licensing deal to bring hyperstable FGF2-STAB® to the global stem cell community
Enantis, a biotechnology spin-off company from Masaryk University, and Qkine, Cambridge University spin-out, have concluded a licensing deal for Qkine to use Enantis’s patented FGF2-STAB® technology globally and develop new product-lines based on the unique biochemical properties of the protein.
FGF2-STAB® is a hyperstable form of FGF-2 (bFGF), a core reagent for stem cell culture. This optimised form of the protein does not degrade in culture media leading to a range of applications in enhanced weekend-free stem cell culture media and advanced chemically defined systems, such as those needed in the cultured meat industry.
“With the licensing of FGF2-STAB®, Qkine is continuing to build its portfolio of the most innovative and highest quality growth factors for stem cell biology” says Dr Catherine Elton, Qkine CEO. “We are delighted to work with the team at Enantis, who share our ambition to drive innovation and provide opportunities for the stem cell sector and emerging fields including cellular agriculture and 3D cell culture.”
FGF2-STAB®, originally published in the scientific literature as FGF2-G3, was developed by Enantis and Masaryk University. The proprietary computational platform was used to explore the structure of the protein and selectively exchange amino-acids in the proteins to enhance thermostability without compromising biological function. The same approach was used successfully by Enantis for other members of this family of proteins that have therapeutic and cosmetic applications.
“To meet the growing demand for our key product, we have decided to partner with Qkine, specialists within their field with a great distribution network at their disposal” says Roman Badik, CEO of Enantis. “This licensing deal will be beneficial for both our dynamic small biotechnology companies and provide future opportunities we will grow together”, he added.
Enantis is a private biotechnology company founded as a spin-off from Masaryk University, Czech Republic. Enantis’ expertise is based on vast experience in protein engineering and state-of-the-art software tools. Our key product, FGF2-STAB®, is a patented thermostable form of basic fibroblast growth factor that can revolutionize stem cell culturing. This protein is 50-times more stable than its native counterpart and has a fully retained biological activity. We have other thermostable growth factors in our pipeline.
Qkine is a Cambridge, UK-based manufacturer of high purity, animal-free growth factors, cytokines and other complex proteins. Qkine combines proprietary production processes with protein engineering technology to tackle fundamental biological and scale-up challenges for the fast-growing stem cell, organoid, regenerative medicine and cultured meat sectors. Visit qkine.com.