Medarex is reevaluating its plans to bring 10 antibodies into the clinic each year, in part because targets identified by its array of young partners are taking a lot of work to validate. The company has gained appreciation for vaccines and for the potential of using antibodies as general immune stimulants rather than specifically targeted therapeutics.

EPIcyte has licensed patents from the Scripps Research Institute covering new methods of human antibody production in plants that can lower costs up to 100 fold. The company is also developing proprietary products based on its technology, initially, an anti-herpes prophylactic and a contraceptive based on an anti-sperm antibody.

The US FDA and NIST have agreed to help industry modernize and update pharmaceutical manufacturing methods and to improve supply chain resilience.