Meet our partners: Affibody AB

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Affibody AB was spun out of KI and KTH. The company currently has about eighty employees, premises at the Karolinska area in Solna - and was also a contributing force behind the Swedish Drug Delivery Forum, the predecessor of SweDeliver.

We had a talk with Chief Scientific Officer Fredrik Frejd and asked him why Sweden needs a national competence center in drug delivery?

(Image removed) Fredrik Frejd, Chief Scientific Officer, Affibody AB

“Our country has both the tradition and competence base to build on in the field of pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, we operate in tough global competition, and in order to maximize the outcome of the resources and competencies at our disposal, we must work together. Drug delivery is a distinctly interdisciplinary challenge, and by bringing together the many abilities of academia and industry, we can, with a basis in basic research, reach far in terms of both what care recipients want and what really works.”

What primary values ​​can Affibody add to SweDeliver?

“Affibody offers an innovative research platform technology for development of protein based biotherapeutics. This is a fast-growing field where our company has both experience and access to unique data. Still, deeper knowledge about the administration of protein drugs is needed, and here we fulfill an important function by stimulating dialogue about the delivery of biotherapeutics. We also provide Staffan Berg, PhD student in SweDeliver, with the physical molecules necessary for his project Study of the interactions between permeability enhancers, GI physiology and macromolecular drugs for improved design of oral dosage forms.”

What do you hope your commitment will generate for Affibody?

“Above all, improved capacity to address the challenges we face in terms of uptake mechanisms and absorption. For example, we need to increase our understanding of orally administered biotherapeutic molecules, also about tissue penetration of our uniquely small protein formats. We also hope to establish far-reaching relations within both academia and industry. Thus, gaining access to a large and broad network where we are already in contact with experts that can provide answers to our questions.”

What significance does SweDeliver have for your collaboration with the academia?

“Both substantial and valuable. Today, we interact at regular meetings, develop ideas for new research projects and seek joint grants. We are simply at the same table, and here SweDeliver constitute exactly the piece that was missing when we first started talking about an arena where industry and academia with joined forces can further develop Swedish drug delivery.”

Do you see further development potential within SweDeliver?

“As a researcher, it is easy to focus on the challenges of your own specific field, but personally I can see added value in providing further space to the industrial perspective, not least regarding biotherapeutics where Sweden is a prominent player, and where the corresponding knowledge regarding delivery could improve further. On the other hand, we are still in SweDeliver's first year of operation and have already created a diversity of discussion forums, so I am completely confident that we will both have time to utilise important knowledge and meet the needs of the partners.”

More information

• Visit Affibody AB online
• Also read New study aim to provide safer oral administration of macromolecular drugs

Contact

(Image removed) Fredrik Frejd, Chief Scientific Officer
Affibody AB
fredrik.frejd@affibody.se

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Affibody