Bayer Healthcare will produce AC-022, a compound for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, at its manufacturing facility in Berkeley, California.
The partnership is part of CoLaborator, a project which provides “a unique incubator space for start-up companies” next to Bayer’s US Innovation Center in San Francisco.
The 6,000 sq ft facility is designed to house life science start-ups whose technology platforms or drug targets align with Bayer’s interests. Bayer claims the environment “fosters opportunities for idea exchange by bringing researchers together in a common space.”
The building has basic equipment and allows use of Bayer’s Environmental Health & Safety and Biosafety licences, and access to nearby UCSF’s imaging, bioinformatics, and proteomics tools.
"We have established a close, trusted relationship with Bayer HealthCare," said Andras Gruber, CEO, Aronora. "The close proximity of Bayer's research and manufacturing sites to the CoLaborator has made this partnership a natural fit for us. The in-depth drug discovery and manufacturing expertise at Bayer has been valuable for advancing our compound towards the clinic."
Aronora, based in Portland, Oregon, with satellite operations in San Francisco, is in the early stages of developing its own biologics. The candidates aim to treat heart attack, stroke, and severe infection-associated coagulopathy.