Common Sense for the Biochemist

The world of biotech is full of vague press releases, but this one could almost take the cake. Large Scale Biology Corporation and Icon Genetics AG Announce Successful Completion of Research Phase of Product Development Collaboration. Of course with all vague press releases, there is lots of room to spectulate so lets make some speculations. From following both of these companies, I would say that the enzyme under development as an enzyme replacement therapy is Icon's Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (an enzyme replacement candidate for phenylketonuria). Icon tested this product in field trials in conjunction with KTRDC this summer. I would speculate that the success of these field trials has something to do with this press release. As far as the "initiation of the commercial phase of the collaboration." I would speculate that this means that the two companies will start looking for a big pharma partner for funding of further development. Without anymore information I would not want make anymore inferences.