Company Profile

Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), known as MedImmune as of 29 October 2007, is committed to advancing science to develop better medicines that help people live healthier, longer and more satisfying lives.

In June 2006, AstraZeneca (AZ) acquired CAT, and then acquired MedImmune, Inc. in June 2007. These acquisitions by AstraZeneca represent a major long-term strategic investment in novel biological therapeutics, expanding and diversifying AZ’s R&D science base to address drug targets through three technological approaches: small molecules, biologics and vaccines.

CAT’s leading discovery platform and early development experience is fully complementary to MedImmune’s discovery and more mature development and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.

This website currently reflects Medimmune Cambridge (formerly CAT) operations. We are updating the site to reflect the ongoing integration with MedImmune

The main MedImmune website - for more information.

To see the clinical pipeline at MedImmune Cambridge, please click on the icon below:

MedImmune Cambridge

AstraZeneca acquired CAT, a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing human monoclonal antibody therapeutics, in June 2006 with the intent to have biologics account for 25- percent of its product pipeline by 2010.
In 2007, AstraZeneca accelerated achievement of this biologics strategy through the successful acquisition of MedImmune, a fully integrated biotechnology company and one of the world's ten largest within the industry.
On 29 October 2007 Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) changed its name to MedImmune to reflect AstraZeneca's vision for its worldwide biologics business. The new business unit unites the resources and expertise from CAT, the pre- existing MedImmune and other biologics activities within the AstraZeneca Group, under the "MedImmune" name.

In November 2005, CAT acquired two oncology product candidates from Genencor and established a US base, in Palo Alto, California. CAT-3888 (formally GCR-3888 and BL22) has completed a Phase I clinical trial and is currently in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of hairy cell leukaemia and CAT-8015 (formally GCR-8015 and HA22) is in Phase I development as a potential treatment for B-cell malignancies.
In May 2006, CAT acquired a further oncology product candidate from Enzon. CAT-5001 (formerly SS1P) is in pre-clinical studies as a potential treatment for mesothelioma. For further details see the news release dated 27 July 2006.
HUMIRA^®, licensed to Abbott, is the first CAT-derived antibody to be approved for marketing. It was isolated and optimised in collaboration with Abbott and has been approved for marketing as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in 57 countries. It has also been approved for marketing as a treatment for early rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease in some European countries and the US. In January 2007, Abbott announced HUMIRA sales of over US$2 billion. HUMIRA was the first product originating in the UK biotechnology industry to achieve blockbuster status.
There are six further CAT-derived human monoclonal antibodies licensed to partners at various stages of clinical development: ABT-874 (Abbott), LymphoStat-B™, HGS-ETR1, HGS-ETR2, ABthrax™ (all HGSI) and MYO-029 (Wyeth). CAT has also licensed its proprietary technologies and patents to several companies. Licensees include Abbott, Amgen, Chugai, Genzyme, Human Genome Sciences, Merck & Co, Pfizer and Wyeth Research. Three further human monoclonal antibodies are in clinical development as a result of discoveries by Dyax and Micromet, two of CAT's nine patent licensees.
In addition, there is one proprietary CAT human therapeutic antibody drug candidate, CAT-354, in clinical development for severe asthma. GC-1008, which has commenced a Phase I clinical trial in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, results from the broad collaboration with Genzyme for the development and commercialisation of antibodies directed against TGFβ, a family of proteins associated with fibrosis and scarring and with potential application in the treatment of some cancers.
CAM-3001 (in collaboration with Zenyth (acquired by CSL in 2006)) is currently in Phase I development for the potential treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

We have an advanced proprietary technology for rapidly isolating human monoclonal antibodies using Phage Display and Ribosome Display systems. We have extensive phage antibody libraries, currently incorporating more than 100 billion distinct antibodies that form the basis for the Company's strategy to develop a portfolio of antibody-based drugs.

Following the recent announcement of a non-exclusive licence agreement with Regeneron, we will be combining Regeneron’s VelocImmune^® technology with its proprietary Display technologies, extending further the company’s industry-leading biologics platform.

Based near Cambridge, UK, MedImmune Cambridge currently employs around 310 people.