PharmaLegacy Labs, a Shanghai pre-clinical CRO, recently formed a strategic alliance with Pasadena’s BioVinc. Both companies have expertise in musculoskeletal drug development. BioVinc has developed a bone targeting platform based on its bisphosphonate research. It sells off-the-shelf and custom probes for bone disease, while also developing its own innovative drugs. PharmaLegacy offers CRO services in a number of areas, including bone/orthopedics.

BioVinc sells a portfolio of novel bone-targeting fluorescent molecular probes. The probes are derived from nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates such as risedronate and zoledronate, including lower affinity analogues. These are conjugated with a wide choice of visible and near-infrared fluorescent dyes that are detectable in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro. It also offers custom bisphosphonate–dye pairings.

According to the agreement, the two companies will work together in a number of ways, including sales and development in diagnostic and therapeutic areas in musculoskeletal/oncology fields. BioVinc gains business opportunities in China, and PharmaLegacy will incorporate novel imaging techniques in a core service area — its specialized animal disease models.

BioVinc is developing novel molecules aimed at preventive therapy for osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in oral surgery patients and bone selective antibiotics for infectious bone disease. It is also involved in finding better therapies for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and bone cancers, along with associated diagnostic imaging probes, such as their novel PET scanning agents.

PharmaLegacy, founded in 2008 in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, advertises itself as a one-stop shop for specialty pharmacology services in inflammation/auto-immune diseases, liver/metabolic diseases, bone/orthopedics, and oncology. Their animal disease models include species from rodents to non-human primates.

“This is a significant advancement in understanding disease progression and therapeutic effects along the study period, and the collaboration will facilitate improvements and efficiency in personalized medicine”, said Dr. Mei-Shu Shih, CSO of PharmaLegacy.

Dr. Frank Ebetino, President of BioVinc, and a leading expert in the medicinal chemistry of bisphosphonates, also noted that “We’re excited to team up with PharmaLegacy. This strategic alliance will leverage our complementary expertise. BioVinc’s novel bone-targeted diagnostics and therapeutics technology and PharmaLegacy’s specialized animal disease models will expand the growth opportunities for both companies.”