SUZHOU and SHANGHAI China, Nov 21, 2023 - Forlong Biotechnology, a clinical stage biotech dedicated to developing next-generation cytokine therapeutics, today announced a strategic alliance with Altruist Biologics (the subsidiary CDMO company of Innovent Biologics) which will advance three of Forlong’s long-acting Fc-fusion protein programs.

Under the agreement, Altruist Biologics will assume tech-transfer and GMP manufacturing of Forlong’s leading asset FL115, a clinical stage IL-15 super agonist as well as two pre-clinical fusion-protein assets to accelerating IND-enabling process.

Mr.En Ji, co-founder and Chairman of Forlong Biotech, remarked:

“Forlong is a science-driven biotech dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing next-generation long-acting fusion-protein therapeutics. Altruist Biologics—formerly the CMC team of Innovent—has established itself as China’s premier CDMO, having supported more than 40 IND filings and the successful launch of ten commercial products. Over the past decade Altruist has built an international-grade quality system, industry-leading technology platforms and deep expertise in global regulatory pathways, including repeated on-site inspections by NMPA, FDA, EMA and multinational pharma. By joining forces with Altruist we will de-risk and accelerate three of our key programs, ultimately bringing safer, more effective medicines to patients worldwide.”

About Forlong Biotechnology

Forlong Biotechnology is a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing next-generation cytokine therapeutics.Focusing on tumor immunology, Forlong develops engineering therapeutic cytokine combinations that act at distinct steps of the cancer–immunity cycle to treat cancer. The leading asset, FL115, is a clinical stage super agonist of interleukin-15 (IL-15) that can activate natural killer (NK) cells and memory T cells. Pre-clinical studies demonstrate FL115 has significantly wider therapeutic index than comparator IL-15 agents, enabling efficacious dosing at markedly higher exposure levels.

About Altruist Biologics

Altruist Biologics is a reliable, one-stop CDMO service provider, focusing on the development and commercial manufacturing of antibodies, fusion proteins, ADCs, cell and gene therapies, and other drugs. From cell line development to aseptic fill/finish, Altruist are committed to supporting clients develop affordable and high-quality biopharmaceuticals for the benefit of patients worldwide.

With Altruist’s state-of-the-art, CGMP-compliant facilities and operations, Altruist Biologics offers a total capacity of 60,000 liters at its Suzhou site, which meets global regulatory standards from the NMPA, FDA, and EMA. The new Hangzhou facility commenced partial operations with the completion of four 20,000-liter bioreactors, the first and largest of its kind in China. The site will hold a total capacity of 172KL when it becomes fully completed.