News
Halozyme and Intrexon hope to develop recombinant Alpha-1 therapy delivered just under the skin
California biotechnology companies Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. and Intrexon Corp. this week announced a collaboration to develop an Alpha-1 augmentation therapy involving recombinant Alpha-1 protein, and recombinant hyaluronidase that would be injected just under the skin and slowly released into the body.
Both the proposed therapy and its delivery method are unique in Alpha-1 treatment. So far, all Alpha-1 augmentation therapies are made from purified human blood plasma, and given by intravenous infusion, usually once a week.
No recombinant augmentation therapy for Alpha-1 has ever been successfully developed. Hyaluronidase is used to help the skin absorb medications that must be injected subcutaneously (just under the skin), but has never been used in Alpha-1 augmentation.
