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PharmaMar and Oryzon collaborate in the identification of clinical markers

By 23 de November de 2010November 18th, 2020No Comments
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 23.11.2010

PharmaMar and Oryzon collaborate in the identification of clinical markers

PharmaMar and Oryzon –based at the Barcelona Science Park– have initiated a collaboration project in order to identify clinical markers in their different anti-tumour products. These markers will enable researchers to obtain better data on the efficacy and safety of drugs in preclinical phase, allowing them to select the drugs with the highest likelihood of being effective in patients. These markers will also be used to identify patients who will really be able to benefit from therapy, while avoiding additional ineffective treatments.


The identification of different types of clinical molecular markers is crucial in the pharmaceutical industry at different levels. On the one hand, having markers that enable the direct monitoring of the drug provides the possibility of interpreting preclinical efficacy and safety data more accurately, therefore identifying the drugs that are most likely to be effective in humans. On the other hand, the identification of patients who are susceptible to adhering to a certain treatment is one of the growing needs of health care systems and the pharmaceutical industry. In patients who respond to treatment, the therapeutic benefit/pharmacological risk ratio is optimal and patients benefit greatly from the drug’s therapeutic virtues. By not exposing patients who did not respond to the drug, they are prevented from having to experience all possible complications derived from an additional and ineffective therapy.

The director of Oryzon’s Business Development, Emili Torrell, has pointed out that Oryzon and PharmaMar are collaborating within the framework of the Oncological Zenith. Now, thanks to this agreement, PharmaMar and Oryzon are initiating collaboration with the aim of establishing a long-term relationship. Both companies believe that collaboration and research of synergies is a key solution to the Spanish sector’s need to be competitive at an international level in a setting with limited resources.

The director of R+D at PharmaMar, Carmen Cuevas, has said that our professional experience has always demonstrated that PharmaMar’s hard work and perseverance, together with collaborators who are able to contribute to the successful development of new treatments that improve the quality of life of patients is the best option to provide society with new therapeutic solutions, making our collaboration with Oryzon an absolute priority and clear example of our commitment.

PharmaMar is the leading biopharmaceutical company in Spain in the field of oncology. It is the first company worldwide to have developed and commercialised a marine-derived anti-tumoural agent, Yondelis, the commercialisation of which has been authorized for two indications: ovarian cancer and soft tissue sarcoma. The company has 4 more products that are currently in different phases of development.

Oryzon is the leading company in Spain in the identification of biomarkers and monoclonal antibody technology. The economic figures of the agreement have not been made public, but contain an important part of payment for success and an additional agreement in order for Oryzon to provide PharmaMar with the markers needed to monitor several different preclinical and clinical studies over the course of several years. The company was founded in 2000 and has an international team composed of 60 scientists. In 2009 it reported an income of 3.4 million Euros.