The idea of founding a biotechnology company in Brazil to develop and test biological molecules with potential for cancer therapies was conceived when Dr. Jose Fernando Perez and leaders within the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) identified Brazil's significant competitive advantages for enterprises based on scientific and technological knowledge, particularly in the area of drug development.
Dr. Perez and LICR formalized an agreement in April of 2005 for the creation of a company named RECEPTA biopharma to be located in Brazil to have an objective of researching, developing and carrying out clinical trials with humanized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to test their therapeutic potential for cancer patients. According to the terms of this agreement, Dr. Perez has the responsibility of leading this enterprise, identifying the necessary scientific and technological competencies and attracting investments for the Company's financing. LICR will contribute:
a) licensing of the intellectual property rights of selected mAbs that scientists at the LICR have shown to be safe and potentially effective in the treatment of certain cancers and;
b) the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge for the Company's research and development activities.
Sharing this same vision, the entrepreneurs Emílio Alves Odebrecht and Jovelino Carvalho Mineiro Filho partnered with Dr. Perez and LICR for the founding of the RECEPTA biopharma company.
RECEPTA biopharma company then competed successfully to obtain financing from the Financier of Studies and Projects (FINEP) within programs financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) and by the Ministry of Health.
An innovative network of partnership institutions was formed by Centers of Excellence in research and development. This network - coordinated by Scientific Director, Prof. Oswaldo Keith Okamoto - includes dozens of researchers located in diverse research institutions and hospitals, who will conduct the following research and development activities in an integrated manner:
1) The identification of new targets and generation of respective antibodies will be led by Dr. Anamaria Aranha Camargo and Dr. Sandro de Souza from the São Paulo (SP) Branch of LICR:
2) The generation of stable and highly productive cell lines for the production of monoclonal antibodies will be led by Dr. Ana Maria Moro from the Cellular Biology Laboratory of the Butantan Institute;
3) Immunohistochemistry trials for in vitro determination of the biochemical affinity of antibodies to diverse tumor types will be carried out by a team led by Prof. Dr. Venâncio Avancini Alves from the Medical Faculty of the University of São Paulo;
4) Pre-clinical trials on laboratory animals will be developed by the team coordinated by Prof. Dr. Maria Angélica Miglino and Prof. Dr. Maria Lúcia Zaidan Dagli from the Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnology Faculty of the University of São Paulo.
5) Protocol development for clinical trials designed to test the therapeutic effect of the antibodies will be the responsibility of the team coordinated by Dr. Oren Smaletz, the Medical Director at RECEPTA biopharma;