Japan's Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services ("Aji Bio-Pharma"), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing services, has announced a strategic supply partnership with the Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative (DNDi).

The DNDi is a collaborative, patients' needs-driven, non-profit drug research and development organization that is developing new treatments for neglected diseases.

Supply of a CpG oligonucleotide is part of a combination therapy used in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis infections. This project is supported by the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund.

As part of this partnership, Aji Bio-Pharma will manufacture CpG-D35, a class of CpG oligonucleotides, which provides strong immunostimulatory effects. CpG-D35 will be used to stimulate innate immune response in patients as an adjunct to chemotherapies in treating complicated cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), persisting parasitic infections causing severely disfiguring and stigmatizing skin lesions.

"Collaboration on this oligonucleotide with DNDi, supports them in their efforts to develop and supply this quality of life improving therapeutic for people with leishmaniasis," said Noriyasu Kataoka, Quality Manager & President, Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services Osaka.