Cambridge UK, 27th July 2011 - Antitope Ltd., Cambridge UK (“Antitope”) today announced a research collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA (“UNC”) for the generation of monoclonal therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer. During the collaboration, Antitope will apply its Composite Human AntibodyTM technology to generate fully-humanized antibodies that are devoid of T cell epitopes and have a reduced risk of clinical immunogenicity.
“We are delighted that UNC is working with Antitope to generate humanized antibodies with low immunogenic potential,” said Dr Matthew Baker, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Antitope, adding, “Our collaboration has yet again demonstrated the success of our Composite Human AntibodyTM technology and we are excited about the prospect of working with UNC on developing therapeutic anti-cancer antibodies.”
“After discovering a novel angiogenesis factor and generating a monoclonal antibody that inhibits tumor growth in a pre-clinical model, we set out to find a company that had strong experience with humanization of monoclonal antibodies,” said Dr Nancy DeMore, Associate Professor of Surgery at the UNC School of Medicine and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We consulted with other scientists, researched Antitope’s methods and determined that collaborating with them would be optimal.”
About Antitope Ltd.:
Antitope Ltd. is a privately-held Cambridge UK-based biotechnology company specializing in immunogenicity testing and the engineering of therapeutic antibodies/proteins with reduced immunogenicity. Antitope’s proprietary EpiScreenTM technology enables preclinical analysis of the potential for immunogenicity of therapeutic antibodies and proteins. Antitope’s proprietary Composite Human AntibodyTM technology results in the generation of humanized antibodies devoid of T cell epitopes. Antitope has established multiple commercial relationships with leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill:
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the United States’ first public university, is a leader in American higher education and known around the world for innovative teaching, research and public service. Carolina offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate and professional degree programs through 14 schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. Every day, faculty, staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service priorities to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs. UNC-Chapel Hill is implementing Innovate@Carolina, a plan to help Carolina become a world leader in launching university-born ideas for the good of society. (For information, refer to www.unc.edu.)
Contact Information:
Antitope Limited
Neil Butt PhD
Business Development
Tel: +44 1223 496190
Email: info@antitope.co.uk
