Citryll and Lonza Enter Into Partnership to Manufacture NETosis Inhibiting Antibody CIT-013

The Netherlands-based biotech Citryll and CDMO Lonza announced a partnership to develop and manufacture Citryll’s tACPA therapeutic antibody CIT-013. CIT-013 targets Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (NET) biology, and could offer new treatment options for a range of diseases where NETs play a role in disease pathology including autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis and others.

By targeting NET formation and NETs directly, CIT-013 does not broadly target inflammation or acquired immunity, but rather targets the source of autoantigens, proinflammatory as well as toxic NET components.

Scientific teams from the two companies have been working together to develop Citryll’s lead antibody candidate CIT-013. Using Lonza’s broad portfolio of in silico preclinical services to assess manufacturability and immunogenicity, Citryll further improved the quality and the potency of the product.

Lonza will carry out cell line construction as well as cGMP drug substance manufacturing at its Slough, UK site. Drug product manufacturing for Citryll’s clinical supply needs will be carried out at Lonza’s recently acquired facility in Stein, Switzerland. The two companies will also work together on the regulatory requirements to secure a successful CTA/IND filing. Citryll aims to start the CIT-013 clinical studies in two years.