Twist Bioscience Identifies Competitive Antibodies for SARS-CoV-2

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Twist Bioscience Corporation (Nasdaq: TWST) today reported it has identified competitive antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, which could potentially be used for diagnostic tests or therapeutic treatments. Twist’s unique monoclonal antibody candidates bind with high affinity to the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the S1 spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 viral molecules. Twist has also found antibody candidates that bind with high affinity to the human ACE2 cellular receptor, the binding site of SARS-CoV-2 in the human body.

“The rapid emergence of a global pandemic requires agile countermeasures bringing together the best science to defeat COVID-19, and we deployed our biopharma activities to meet this challenge,” said Emily M. Leproust, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Twist Bioscience. “By leveraging our unique capability to precisely write DNA along with our fully human antibody libraries derived from natural human antibodies, we found leads against antigens involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We generated highly potent and functional monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19 in a matter of just six weeks.”

In March, as the global pandemic was gaining traction rapidly, Twist Biopharma, a division of Twist Bioscience, leveraged its robust proprietary synthetic antibody discovery libraries each containing more than 10 billion antibody sequences. The results of several rounds of screening and optimization identified key competitive antibodies with potent biological activity that bind to the receptor binding domain of the S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 and separately, a series of antibodies that binds to the extracellular domain (ECD) of ACE2 in human cells.

“For next steps, we expect to refine and optimize our antibody leads, and scale up those compounds for in vitro functional testing,” commented Aaron Sato, Ph.D., CSO of Twist Biopharma. “We look forward to advancing these candidates into preclinical development and identifying a partner for further studies. We intend to use every tool at our disposal to fight this pandemic.”

To learn more about Twist Biopharma’s antibody leads for SARS-CoV-2, watch this webinar: https://www.twistbioscience.com/resources/writing-future-biologics-discover-and-optimize-antibodies.

About Twist Biopharma

By leveraging our unique ability to manufacture DNA at scale, we can construct proprietary antibody libraries precisely designed to match sequences that occur in the human body. This library of libraries gives our partners an integral and unbiased resource for antibody therapeutic discovery and optimization. This precise and rational approach to library fabrication combined with sophisticated bioinformatics and software expertise expedites antibody discovery by decreasing risk, increasing speed, and lowering the failure rate for antibody therapeutic development.

About Twist Bioscience Corporation

Twist Bioscience is a leading and rapidly growing synthetic biology and genomics company that has developed a disruptive DNA synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology. The core of the platform is a proprietary technology that pioneers a new method of manufacturing synthetic DNA by “writing” DNA on a silicon chip. Twist is leveraging its unique technology to manufacture a broad range of synthetic DNA-based products, including synthetic genes, tools for next-generation sequencing (NGS) preparation, and antibody libraries for drug discovery and development. Twist is also pursuing longer-term opportunities in digital data storage in DNA and biologics drug discovery. Twist makes products for use across many industries including healthcare, industrial chemicals, agriculture and academic research.

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Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein, including without limitation, the success of Twist’s antibody candidates in preclinical development and Twist’s ability to successfully identify a partner for future studies, refine and optimize its antibody leads and scale up its leads for in vitro functional testing, are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause Twist Bioscience’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risks and uncertainties of the ability to attract new customers and retain and grow sales from existing customers; risks and uncertainties of rapidly changing technologies and extensive competition in synthetic biology could make the products Twist Bioscience is developing obsolete or non-competitive; uncertainties of the retention of a significant customer; risks of third party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate Twist Bioscience’s patents or proprietary rights; and the risk that Twist Bioscience’s proprietary rights may be insufficient to protect its technologies. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Twist Bioscience’s business in general, see Twist Bioscience’s risk factors set forth in Twist Bioscience’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 10, 2020. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Twist Bioscience specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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