KBI Biopharma has entered a collaboration with Infinimmune to support development and manufacturing of the biotech firm’s lead antibody therapy for atopic dermatitis. The partnership will advance IFX-101, the first monoclonal antibody from Infinimmune’s pipeline, which is designed to improve treatment efficacy and extend dosing intervals.

The antibody programme is being advanced at KBI’s Cell Line Development Centre of Excellence in Geneva, using its SUREmAb platform powered by Selexis. KBI, a JSR Life Sciences company, provides contract development and manufacturing services for biologics, while Infinimmune focuses on what it calls a “human-first” approach to antibody discovery.

IFX-101 is sourced directly from the human immune system, rather than designed synthetically, which Infinimmune said allows the therapy to draw on naturally optimised immune responses. The company uses its Glimpse platform, a protein language model trained solely on human antibody sequences, to identify and refine candidates. According to Infinimmune, this approach enables antibodies with improved biological properties by learning from millions of successful immune responses.

Wyatt McDonnell, co-founder and chief executive of Infinimmune, said: “We are pleased to partner with KBI Biopharma to advance our lead antibody program. By combining our Anthrobody and Glimpse platforms together with KBI’s development and manufacturing expertise, we’re positioned to rapidly advance toward clinical trials. Our human-first approach enables us to deliver what patients really need – more effective treatments with greater convenience.”

KBI Biopharma said it sees the collaboration as an opportunity to bring together complementary strengths in antibody discovery and biologics development. Katie Edgar, chief business officer at KBI, added: “KBI is proud to support Infinimmune in its effort to transform biologics and deliver safer, more effective antibody therapeutics. Our strategic partnership will be highly synergistic in biologics development, by combining Infinimmune’s cutting-edge antibody discovery with KBI’s deep expertise in development and manufacturing capabilities.”

The agreement reflects a wider trend of biotech firms working with contract development and manufacturing organisations to progress early-stage antibody assets into clinical development. Atopic dermatitis remains an area of unmet need, with existing biologics offering relief but often requiring frequent dosing. Infinimmune said it intends to demonstrate that sourcing antibodies from the human immune system can provide a differentiated profile with potential benefits in safety, efficacy and patient convenience.

By situating development in Switzerland, KBI said it can draw on its global infrastructure and expertise to support Infinimmune’s pipeline. For Infinimmune, the collaboration marks an important step in translating its discovery platforms into therapies aimed at addressing chronic conditions through antibody-based medicines.