Transgene Biotek Ltd, today announced the sale of technology for recombinant human Erythropoietin (rh-EPO) to TSS EXPORT GmbH FZE, one of the group companies of the TSS Group for $5 million.

The technology transfer and sale is expected to be completed within 6 months.

Transgene had earlier out-licensed two of its technologies -- a recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine to one of the largest vaccine producers in the world and more recently Orlistat to one of the Indian pharma companies with a significant presence in the global arena.

Dr K.K. Rao, Managing Director, Transgene Biotek, in a statement said, “this transaction fulfils the pledge to focus on revenue generation and monetising the sale of underutilised bio-generic drug assets; those developed by the company during the last 7-8 years but which we now feel do not fit into our new agenda for sustained growth.”

The company recently started commercial manufacture of DHA, an Omega-3 Fatty acid used in the nutraceuticals and health supplements market. While manufacturing from leased facilities, Transgene is in the process of expanding its own in-house infrastructure to augment production capacities for this and other APIs (active pharma ingredients) coming into production. Transgene also expects to begin commercial manufacturing of a second API called Tacrolimus shortly.

The company management is in talks with manufacturers in Europe and North America for strategic partnerships to manufacture and distribute these products to regulated markets.