8 April 2019 - - US-based synthetic DNA specialist Twist Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: TWST) and US-based biologics CRDMO LakePharma, Inc have forged a strategic collaboration to offer antibody discovery and development solutions to pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers, the companies said.

Under the terms of the agreement, LakePharma will have the ability to offer Twist's proprietary antibody discovery and optimisation platforms to their existing and future biopharmaceutical customers as part of their service offerings.

One such platform generated is for discovery of novel therapeutic antibodies against a major class of protein drug targets known as GPCRs, which traditionally have been difficult for biologics drug development.

GPCRs have been heavily investigated due to their involvement in multiple disease classes, including inflammation, cancer, metabolism, respiratory, and pain.

In return, customers of Twist will have access to LakePharma's integrated discovery and development services.

LakePharma is a US-based biologics contract research, development, and manufacturing organisation (CRDMO).

The company has developed a range of technologies and capabilities in antibody discovery, protein engineering, cell line development, process optimization, and GMP manufacturing.

With comprehensive technologies, integrated platforms, and five facilities located in key biopharma hubs on both the East and West Coast, LakePharma enables and supports the discovery and development of the biologics of tomorrow.

Twist Bioscience is a leading and rapidly growing synthetic biology company that has developed a disruptive DNA synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology.

The core of the platform is a proprietary technology that pioneers a new method of manufacturing synthetic DNA by "writing" DNA on a silicon chip.

Twist is leveraging its technology to manufacture a range of synthetic DNA-based products, including synthetic genes, tools for next-generation sequencing preparation, and antibody libraries for drug discovery and development.

Twist is also pursuing longer-term opportunities in digital data storage in DNA and biologics drug discovery. Twist makes products for use across many industries including healthcare, industrial chemicals, agriculture and academic research.