The formulation of a domestically developed monoclonal antibody, supported under the TÜBÄ°TAK 1004 Program and intended for pharmaceutical development, has been successfully completed. The technology has been transferred to Abdi Ä°brahim and Gensenta, two of Türkiye’s leading companies in the fields of technology and the pharmaceutical industry.

A significant milestone has been achieved that will help reduce Türkiye’s dependence on imported healthcare technologies and play an important role in the treatment of various types of cancer. The objectives of the PAN-TER Platform (Target-Specific Pan-Cancer Therapies) Project, which has been meticulously carried out over the past four years, have been successfully accomplished. The project is funded under the TÜBÄ°TAK 1004 – Centers of Excellence Support Program, coordinated by the Ä°zmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG) as the Research Program Executive Coordinating Institution (APYÖK), with Karadeniz Technical University’s Drug and Pharmaceutical Technology Application and Research Center (ILAFAR) serving as one of the Research Program Executive Institutions (APYK).

The platform also brings together strong partners, including Gebze Technical University, Ä°zmir Tınaztepe University, and Novagenix Bioanalytical Drug R&D Inc., which has been responsible for the analytical processes. Within this large-scale collaborative platform, the formulations of domestically developed monoclonal antibody (mAb) active pharmaceutical ingredients, designed by the project partners for the treatment of different types of cancer, have been successfully completed through ILAFAR’s research and development activities. Stability studies are currently ongoing.

Transferred to Industry and Ready for Clinical Trials

Following the successful formulation process carried out by ILAFAR, the domestic antibody technology was transferred to the platform partners Abdi Ä°brahim Pharmaceuticals Industry and Trade Inc. and Gensenta Pharmaceuticals Industry and Trade Inc. Scale-up manufacturing studies are currently underway. Once preclinical animal studies confirm the efficacy and safety of the formulated drugs, they will proceed to clinical trial phases involving human participants.

Smart Drugs Targeting Cancer Cells Are Now Being Produced with Domestic Capabilities

Commenting on this important development, KTU Rector Prof. Dr. Hamdullah Çuvalcı stated:

“Today, smart biological medicines known as monoclonal antibodies, which directly target cancer cells, are widely used in the treatment of cancer and many other challenging diseases. However, developing these medicines is only one part of the process; discovering a formulation capable of delivering them safely to the target site without degradation inside the body requires an extremely complex, intensive, and high-technology R&D process. This highly valuable biological raw material, developed by the project partners under the leadership of the Ä°zmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), has been successfully formulated in the laboratories of ILAFAR, one of our University's leading research centers in the field of health sciences. It has been transformed into a pharmaceutical product while preserving its quality, potency, and stability. As Karadeniz Technical University, we are proud to have made such a vital contribution to our country's strategic initiative for the development of domestic pharmaceuticals through this important project."

A Significant Contribution to the National Economy

Emphasizing that this achievement will make substantial contributions both to scientific advancement and to the national economy, Prof. Dr. Hamdullah Çuvalci concluded his remarks by saying: "This achievement represents one of the clearest and most inspiring examples of Türkiye's vision of becoming a self-sufficient country in the field of biopharmaceuticals. Producing these highly costly cancer medicines domestically instead of importing them will make an enormous contribution to our national economy. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to TÜBÄ°TAK for bringing together this remarkable ecosystem; to our platform coordinator, the Ä°zmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG); to our partners, Gebze Technical University, Ä°zmir Tınaztepe University, and Novagenix; to Abdi Ä°brahim and Gensenta, who will bring this technology into industrial production; and to all of our esteemed stakeholders for their invaluable contributions."

 

Önceki Sonraki