Zea Biosciences, a Boston-based biopharmaceutical company with a new platform for biologics and vaccine development, signed an exclusive licensing agreement and a sponsored research agreement with The University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League Institution with a great history of therapeutics development. The strategic partnership will aim to rapidly develop and scale potential therapies for clinical development to address a variety of important health issues domestically and around the world.

“We are very excited about this collaboration with The University of Pennsylvania, as it is a beneficial relationship for both of our organizations,” said Jim Wilson, founder of Zea Biosciences. “Long term, the results from this could allow an exciting new way of developing biologics and fundamentally change the way manufacturing and global supply chains are managed; the hope is we can make a cheaper drug and offer that benefit for everyone, providing wellness across the world.”

Charles Legg, CEO of Zea Biosciences, stated, “This is a great step forward for Zea and we look forward to working with the patient communities and UPenn. Zea is passionate about addressing significant critical, unmet health needs in the near term, but also enabling a platform that may just change the game in addressing important health issues around the world.”

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About Zea Biosciences: Boston-based Zea Biosciences exists to provide access to reliable, important medicines to address critical unmet medical needs and enable healthier communities. As a plant biotechnology platform focused on identifying, producing, and growing highly effective drugs, we are on a mission to unlock a better future for as many people as possible. Zea’s motto: Unlock the possible. Learn more at http://www.zeabio.com.

About The University of Pennsylvania: The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn]) is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world. While the university dates its founding to 1740, it was created by Benjamin Franklin and other Philadelphia citizens in 1749.