In 1993 the human genome project aimed to determine the entire euchromatic sequence of human genes. A decade and 2.7$ billion later this goal was achieved [2]. Fast forward into the year 2023: thanks to next generation sequencing, we can obtain an individual genome in just above five hours for only 6000€ to 8000€ per patient. [3,4] This technological advancement was an important step towards the era of personalized therapy, as scientists and doctors can now decipher the mutations driving cancer.

Nowadays, we have a plethora of therapeutic platforms to potentially address cancer on an individual patient level, based on the genetic information obtained from next generation sequencing. Indeed, biotech, medtech and pharmaceutical companies are testing different personalized cancer therapeutics, such as viral vectors, antigen-pulsed immune cells, DNA-based vaccines, mRNA-based vaccines and peptide-based vaccines. [5]

While the principles and methods of using peptide-based cancer vaccines have been well established, see references [5 & 6], there is an ever-growing need to conduct clinical trials to translate the basic science into approved medicinal products. A search for peptide-based cancer vaccines on clinicaltrials.gov will return hundreds of Phase I and II studies, investigating the topic.

However, the challenge for academic researchers and biotech companies is to obtain sufficient GMP-grade peptides for those clinical trials. GMP, or Good Manufacturing Practice, is a set of guidelines followed by pharmaceutical companies to ensure the quality, safety, and effectiveness of their products. The implementation of GMP for Peptides is challenging: keeping up with evolving regulations, allocating resources to meet GMP requirements, training employees on GMP principles, harmonizing GMP standards across different countries while complying with local regulations and closely monitoring the entire supply chain are just a few. GMP-grade, personalized peptides for clinical trials is what we at Intavis Peptide Services will provide in the future.

Intavis Peptide Services has 30 years of peptide synthesis experience (check out our history) and besides peptides for laboratory research, we soon will offer GMP grade peptides and a patient centric, aseptic fill and finish service for clinical trials. Since Intavis Peptide Services was previously part of the Intavis analytical instruments corporation, we are well-versed in the intricacies of peptide synthesis. Consequently, our peptides are used globally by research groups to push the frontier of science (references). But it is not only the skills and expertise of our employees, but our relentless dedication and customer focus which make the difference to our customers.

Since the market for personalized medicine is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of ~7% [1] and the demand for peptides is surging, we are looking at a strong growth trajectory. To navigate the challenges this growth entails, we are lucky to have the right blend of people and experiences at hand. Our advisors and partners are rooted in the University city of Tübingen, by some called the “Mekka” of peptide science. Therefore, we can rely on a strong scientific and commercial network of experts, who support us. Also, we have an excellent leadership team (see here), uniting decades of experience in starting ventures within the biotech and life sciences space. Hence, we are confident to overcome the challenges ahead.

In everything we do, we are guided by customer focus, expertise in peptide synthesis and an innovative mindset. We want to help scientists and doctors to develop “peptides for life”. Therefore, whether you are looking for customized peptides, peptide arrays or peptide libraries to conduct laboratory research or planning to conduct a clinical trial with peptide-based medicinal products – we are the peptide partner you can rely on.

References

[1] Personalized Medicine Market Size And Share [2023 Report] (grandviewresearch.com)

[2] Wikipedia – Human Genome Project

[3] Speed record sequencing

[4] Costs of sequencing

[5] Blass et al, 2021, Nature reviews clinical oncology

[6] Nelde et al, 2021, MCPReview