ProBioGen announced the signing of a Master Service Agreement ("MSA") with Zag Bio, Inc., a biotechnology company developing thymus-targeted therapies to induce central immune tolerance.

Under the MSA’s first integrated service package, ProBioGen will provide cell line development, process development, and GMP manufacturing for Zag Bio's lead ZAG-101 product candidate for the prevention or delay of Type 1 diabetes, targeted to enter clinical development in the second half of 2026.

ProBioGen conducts cell line development based on its CHO.RiGHT® expression platform, applying its proprietary DirectedLuck® transposase technology. This highly efficient gene delivery and expression system aims to deliver the most productive and robust cell line, and together with its unique PsiBot smart automation solution, allows faster selection of producer clones with superior quality. The integrated approach not only accelerates early development but lays a strong foundation for scalable, high-yield manufacturing aligned with regulatory and quality expectations.

To speed up the program and support risk mitigation simultaneously, the process includes a parallel assessment of multiple candidate constructs. Such an approach enables rapid, data-driven selection of the optimal clinical candidate while maintaining an accelerated timeline.

"This agreement is more than a contractual milestone. It marks the beginning of a collaborative effort to bring Zag Bio’s highly innovative thymus-targeted bifunctional antibody program to life," said Dr. Alfred Merz, Chief Executive Officer at ProBioGen. "Our integrated platform combines cutting-edge technologies, harmonized automated workflows, and cross-functional expertise, across development and manufacturing, to accelerate our partner's biologics programs with precision and flexibility."

"We chose ProBioGen not just for their scientific excellence, but for their reputation as a truly collaborative and flexible partner", added Jason Cole, Chief Executive Officer, at Zag Bio, "They  impressed us with their deep understanding and integrated capabilities in Fc-fusion protein development, which will enable the manufacturing and clinical development of our lead ZAG-101 molecule, to potentially  deliver transformative impact to patients with Type 1 diabetes and over time, additional autoimmune diseases."

The MSA brings together ProBioGen's development and manufacturing excellence and Zag Bio's scientific innovation, establishing a streamlined and scalable path for next-generation antibody-based therapies aimed at reshaping the autoimmune disease treatment landscape.  

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.