One way to identify the next generation of antibodies that are more efficient and better tolerated is to use functional screening of all antibodies in an antibody library, Michael Oredsson, CEO of Bioinvent International told Biopharma-Reporter.com.
“With the FIRST platform we have developed a ‘function-first’ approach,” he said. “The platform can be used to discover targets and antibodies relevant to several diseases,” enabling “simultaneous selection of functionally superior antibodies across multiple targets without prior knowledge of target identities.”
The platform offers the advantages of function-led discovery and can be applied to the “oncomitant discovery of indication relevant antibodies and targets,” he continued, adding: “To our knowledge no other similar technology with the same features.”
Therapeutic antibodies are part of what Oredsson described as “the fastest growing market segment” and “in order for the next generation of antibodies to translate into significant clinical benefits, these agents will have to both trigger profound antibody biology functions and interfere with target biology and critical disease-relevant signalling pathways.
“Importantly, antibody biology effects are highly dynamic and cannot easily be predicted from the biology of their targets. Thus, antibodies against the same receptor may operate via different mechanisms-of action, the nature of which may determine their efficacy in an affinity-independent and isotype-independent manner.”
Biopharma Interest
The technology forms part of Bioinvent’s discovery platform, also comprising the n-CoDeRantibody library described last month as a “workhouse for antibody technology” by biopharma giant Bayer who extended a licensing agreement with the firm last month.
Big biopharma as well as smaller biotech companies have both shown interest in the new platform, according to Oredsson, and will be offered through license and collaboration agreements on a non-exclusive basis as well as used by Bioinvent itself to generate new antibodies.