The patent, relating to the preparation of a bioconjugate, allows Synaffix to offer end-to-end patent protection of its ADC technology platform.
The company describes HydraSpace as a compact and highly polar spacer, which demonstrates the ability to enhance ADC stability, and expand the therapeutic index of an ADC.
Furthermore, HydraSpace’s branching capability enables a ‘dual-warhead’ ADC format, Synaffix says.
Two different mechanisms of action can be delivered to the same cell, which could be an important strategy in the eradication of cancer stem cells and the treatment of multi-drug resistant forms of cancer, said the Dutch firm.
The platform also facilitates the attachment of challenging hydrophobic payloads to antibodies.
Some potent anti-cancer payloads, such as pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) and duocarmycins, are the most hydrophobic, and therefore pose manufacturability challenges in the context of an ADC, said Synaffix.
“HydraSpace was designed with exactly this is mind and facilitates facile and efficient conjugation of one or multiple highly hydrophobic payloads per conjugation event,” the firm said.
According to CEO Peter van de Sande, “HydraSpace has demonstrated its potential across numerous comparative studies, including against other mainstream site-specific conjugation technologies. As such, it represents a key differentiator for ADC product candidates being developed by our collaborators.”
Synaffix’s patent portfolio includes ADC technologies GlycoConnect, HydraSpace and metal-free click chemistry.