The great experiences with construction of monoclonal antibodies in former Czechoslovakia can be traced to the end of 70's, when the group of researchers in Institute of Molecular Genetics raised their first hybridomas secreting antibodies of predefined specificity.
The management of the Institute became aware not only of the scientific impact of developed antibodies, but also appreciated their economic potential.
"It is important to realize the state establishent in these times," points out Dr. Viklicky. "In the socialism era it was impossible to found a private company and commercialize the results of successful research. Fortunatelly, the former head of the Institute of Molecular Genetic convinced communist bosses on the importance of monoclonal antibodies for research, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and established Technology Unit that solely manufactured developed antibodies to meet the demands of national socialist industry," describes Dr. Viklicky the origin of EXBIO.
In 1990, soon after the collaps of communist system, the EXBIO trademark appeared on the market. "EXBIO is a typical spin-off company. The Technology Unit was transformed into independent company and the exclusive licence agreement on the use of hybridoma cell lines has been signed with the Institute of Molecular Genetics, explains Dr. Viklicky.
"The original aims of our company were over-estimated," today admits Vladimir Viklicky, jr., president and CEO of EXBIO. "The Technology Unit also initiated the manufature of immunosupressive drug based on the monoclonal antibody to human CD3 (MEM-57). EXBIO finalized the product and even reached the approval from the State Institute of Drug Control," he says. "In 1994, EXBIO successfully privatized the former biotechnolgy plant for manufacture of vaccines in Olomouc, and we thought that everything goes well. However, we paid dear for the experience to be a biopharm company," says V. Viklicky.
The organization structure of EXBIO changed with the beginning of 1999. Two divisions, located at Prague (division Praha) and Olomouc (division Olomouc), were transformed into independent companies. EXBIO Praha focused solely on the manufacture of monoclonal antibodies.
"We became fully concentrated on the business we are great at - manufacture and sales of monoclonal antibodies on a OEM basis and bulk quantities for wide research applications," says V. Viklicky. "Moreover, we clearly demonstrated our ability to commercialize the results acquired from several sucessfull research projects conducted in collaboration with Instititions of Czech Academy of Science. And it is the essence of our rapid economical growth in past two years," he adds.
Significant increase in manufacture and sales allowed the huge investment in building up the brand new facility literally on a green field. The new 800 sq. m. manufacture facility has its own animal house, cryo-preservation site and biological and biochemical laboratories.
"This is the true milestone in the history of EXBIO that finally closes the incubation era in the Technology Park of the Czech Academy of Science and leaves our company completely independent and open for further growth," says V. Viklicky, "I am glad to have such team of our people and what we have accomplished together. I really want to thank for their excellent and enormous work."
EXBIO currently participates in various research grants, including European large scale integrating FP7 HEALTH projects SYBILLA (Systems Biology of T-cell Activation in Health and Disease) and NANOFOL (Folate-based nanobiodevices for integrated diagnosis / therapy targeting chronic inflammatory diseases) and besides such research activities, the new premises enables us to broadly expand our R&D activities focused on development of new products, which would better reflect the demands from you, our customers. We realize every day that our achievements would have not been possible without your continuous support.
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