Antiverse Ltd (Antiverse), a biotechnology company specializing in computational antibody drug discovery, and GlobalBio, Inc. (GlobalBio), an antibody engineering company, have announced an extension to their collaboration aimed at advancing immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer therapy. This collaboration builds upon the initial success achieved by the two companies, which resulted in the development of a range of anti-PD-1 antibodies with diverse binding and functional profiles. Two of these candidates are now progressing into preclinical development.
The collaboration utilized Antiverse’s AI-driven Antibody Discovery platform, which harnesses advanced machine learning techniques and sophisticated cell line engineering to facilitate the development of antibodies for challenging drug targets. GlobalBio’s ALTHEA semisynthetic libraries were also employed for the discovery and optimization of antibody-based therapeutics.
In the selection process, over 300 clones were tested for their ability to bind to human PD-1 and its orthologs in mouse, dog, and cynomolgus. Among these clones, more than a hundred demonstrated positive binding to PD-1, and several dozen exhibited high specificity for human PD-1 and/or cross-reactivity with the orthologs. The most successful clones were converted into antibodies to reduce potential toxicity.
Several of the antibodies displayed the ability to block interactions between PD-1 and PD-L1, as well as PD-1 and PD-L2, as demonstrated in ELISA assays and Jurkat cells. Additionally, some antibodies promoted the expression of Interferon-gamma in a mixed lymphocyte reaction co-culture assay. Two particular antibodies, D6, highly specific for human PD-1, and D13, cross-reactive with dog PD-1 and related variants, have now entered preclinical development as part of the extended collaboration.
Ben Holland, Co-founder and CTO of Antiverse, commented on the agreement, stating that it serves as further validation of their AI-driven drug discovery platform. The successful development of a panel of anti-PD-1 antibodies, with at least two potential candidates entering preclinical development, showcases the value of innovative collaborations in accelerating the identification and development of novel antibody therapeutics for cancer. Holland also highlighted Antiverse’s commitment to expanding the possibilities within the druggable antibody space, ultimately reducing timelines and costs associated with drug discovery.
This extended collaboration between Antiverse and GlobalBio presents an exciting opportunity to advance the development of antibody cancer therapeutics, contributing to the ongoing fight against cancer. With their unique expertise and cutting-edge technologies, the two companies are well positioned to make significant advancements in the field of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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