EVEC Incorporated

EVEC Incorporated (株式会社イーベック) is a Japanese biotechnology company focused on the development and production of fully human antibodies for use as antibody therapeutics. The company was established on 10 January 2003 with the goal of creating safe and affordable human antibodies using proprietary technology that does not depend on Western patents. Its core technology generates fully human antibodies from blood B lymphocytes that are responsible for antibody production in the human body, aiming to produce antibodies with fewer side effects. EVEC provides its developed antibodies to companies working on antibody drugs and also engages in joint development as an alliance partner. The company has entered into licensing agreements with major pharmaceutical firms, including Boehringer Ingelheim in 2008 for the development and commercialization of fully human antibodies, and Astellas Pharma in 2011 for one of its fully human antibodies for infectious disease treatment. In addition to its therapeutic antibody pipeline, EVEC offers contract services, including antibody screening and development support. The company is headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, and operates a research laboratory (Sapporo Lab / Antibody Drug Discovery Research Institute) in Sapporo. Its mission is described as quietly supporting the medical care of 7 billion people. EVEC has received public research grants and awards, including the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Award in 2009 for its technology to mass-produce human lymphocyte-derived antibodies using Epstein-Barr virus.

EVEC Incorporated was established on 10 January 2003 in Japan with the aim of developing and manufacturing safe and inexpensive human antibodies using purely domestic technology, breaking through the difficulties surrounding antibody development, such as high royalties for patented Western technologies and high production costs. The company's founding was driven by the recognition that antibodies are key to biological defense and are extremely promising as molecular targeted therapeutics for infectious diseases and cancer. In its early years, EVEC received public research grants. In 2003, its project "Production of fully human antibodies as pharmaceutical materials and establishment of a mass production system" was adopted under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Regional New Consortium Research and Development Project for fiscal years 2003-2004. In June 2004, the company succeeded in developing two types of human antibodies (GM-CSF and CMV), which was featured on the front page of Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun. In 2005, its project "Development of a fully human antibody production system for arbitrary target molecules" was adopted under NEDO's Industrial Technology Practical Application Development Assistance Program for fiscal 2004. The company exhibited at BIO2005 in Philadelphia in June 2005 and at the Antibody Drug Conference in San Diego in December 2005. A major milestone came on 30 September 2008, when EVEC concluded a license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim (headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany) for the development and commercialization of fully human antibodies. In October 2008, the company gave an emergency lecture at Bio Japan 2008 titled "Keys to Successful Technology Introduction to Big Pharma." In April 2009, the Sapporo Lab was relocated to its current location and expanded. In June 2009, EVEC received the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Award for its development of "technology for mass production of human lymphocyte-derived antibodies using Epstein-Barr virus." In August 2009, its project "Development of technology for efficient human antibody production" was adopted under NEDO's Innovation Practical Application Development Expense Subsidy for fiscal 2009. The company exhibited at Bio Japan 2009 in October 2009. On 5 September 2011, EVEC concluded a license agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. for one of its fully human antibodies for infectious disease treatment. In July 2014, the company announced that its metapneumovirus antibodies EV046120 and EV046135 have high neutralizing activity against both metapneumovirus and RS virus. In July 2014, the headquarters was relocated to the 8th floor of Mitsui Seimei Sapporo Odori Building, 6-2-6 Odori Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo. In January 2016, the Sapporo Lab (Antibody Drug Discovery Research Institute) moved to the Sapporo Electronics Center in Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo. In July 2016, EVEC launched contract services. In July 2017, the company announced an antibody trial campaign running until the end of September 2017. EVEC continues to operate as a private biotechnology company headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, providing its fully human antibodies to pharmaceutical companies and engaging in joint development as an alliance partner.

• EVEC Incorporated established

• Project adopted by METI Regional New Consortium R&D Project for FY2003-2004

• Succeeded in developing two types of human antibodies (GM-CSF, CMV); featured on front page of Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun

• Project adopted by NEDO Industrial Technology Practical Application Development Assistance Program for FY2004

• Exhibited at BIO2005 in Philadelphia

• Exhibited at Antibody Drug Conference in San Diego

• License agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim for development and commercialization of fully human antibodies

• Emergency lecture at Bio Japan 2008: 'Keys to Successful Technology Introduction to Big Pharma'

• Sapporo Lab relocated to current location and expanded

• Received Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Award for EBV-based human lymphocyte antibody mass production technology

• Project adopted by NEDO Innovation Practical Application Development Expense Subsidy for FY2009

• Exhibited at Bio Japan 2009 in Pacifico Yokohama

• License agreement with Astellas Pharma for a fully human antibody for infectious disease treatment

• Headquarters relocated to Mitsui Seimei Sapporo Odori Building, Chuo-ku, Sapporo

• Announced metapneumovirus antibodies EV046120 and EV046135 show high neutralizing activity against RS virus

• Sapporo Lab moved to Sapporo Electronics Center in Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo

• Contract services launched

• Antibody trial campaign announced, running until end of September 2017

A Japanese antibody discovery biotech offering patent-independent fully human antibody technology and alliance partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies.

• Fully human antibodies

  Antibodies generated from human blood B lymphocytes using proprietary technology independent of Western patents.

• EV046120

  Metapneumovirus antibody with high neutralizing activity against metapneumovirus and RS virus.

• EV046135

  Metapneumovirus antibody with high neutralizing activity against metapneumovirus and RS virus.

• Contract services

  Antibody screening and development support services offered to external parties.

1. 170億人の医療をこっそりささえる：株式会社イーベックevec.sakura.ne.jp
2. 2イーベックの歩み:株式会社イーベックevec.sakura.ne.jp
3. 3企業情報:株式会社イーベックevec.sakura.ne.jp
4. 4アクセスマップ:株式会社イーベックevec.sakura.ne.jp
5. 5EVEC Incorporated (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org