Southern Biologics Network Launches To Develop Biological Treatments

A public-private partnership, Southern Biologics Network (SBN), has launched in Alabama, North Carolina, and Louisiana to develop biological treatments. The consortium announced the launch in a press release, stating that network members specialize in various stages of biologic development. John McCarter, director of business development at Soluble Therapeutics, said, "Each of the organizations in the network have specific strengths, if you will, that add to the process of biologic drugs from the research and development stage all the way through clinical trials. Just taken individually, none of the companies can do all of the pieces before it gets to the FDA."

Southern Biologics Network

Members of the Southern Biologics Network include three Birmingham, AL companies: Southern Research Institute (SRI), Soluble Therapeutics, and the Center of Structural Biology at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB). The Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University and ProteoVec from Baton Rouge, LA are also members of the new network. The group’s stated aims are to characterize protein structure and protein-drug interactions, optimize protein purification and formulation, test proteins in pre-clinical in-vitro and in-vivo studies, and conduct early clinical studies. Each member’s role is clearly defined to carry out early-stage biologic research more efficiently.

Biological Treatments

Biological treatments are growing in importance and are among the best-selling treatments. Some are used for cancer, while others treat other conditions such as tinnitus. The market for biological treatments is expected to reach $287 million by 2019, according to a report by Persistence Market Research. Authors state that North America is the largest market, and Enbrel, Humira, and Prevnar 13 are the best sellers.

Partnered R&D

The Southern Biologics Network is an example of a public-private research effort and reflects a response to the difficulty in developing and funding new treatments. The SBN states that bringing a new drug or biological treatment to market takes years and may cost over $1 billion, with only 20 percent of agents reaching the market. Allying with other drug companies or academic entities helps share the development burden and costs. Art Tipton, president and CEO of SRI, commented, "Pharmaceutical companies, even big pharmaceutical companies, might not have all the parts that we're going to put together. The goal is that they would come to us and we would be able to solve that problem, minimize risk, and speed up development."