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Rapid isolation of high-affinity human antibodies from large synthetic libraries

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 1R41GM090585-01
Agency Tracking Number: R41GM090585
Amount: $200,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: NIGMS
Solicitation Number: PHS2010-2
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2010
Award Year: 2010
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
33 THORNWOOD DR, STE 104
ITHACA, NY 14853-1279
United States
DUNS: 884942012
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 MATTHEW DELISA
 (607) 254-8560
 MD255@CORNELL.EDU
Business Contact
 LEE HENDERSON
Phone: (607) 255-5014
Email: cu_awds@cornell.edu
Research Institution
 Cornell University Ithaca
 
373 Pine Tree Road Office of Sponsored Programs
ITHACA, NY 14850-2820
United States

 () -
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): With over 300 therapeutic proteins currently in various stages of clinical trials, the road to a healthier future will require new methods for producing safer and less expensive recombinant proteins. In particular, next generation therapeutics derived from monoclonal antibodies (e.g. Fab, scAb, scFv, immunotoxins, etc) show great clinical promise in treating a range of human disorders including bacterial and viral infections, cancer, inflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, the bacterial Sec protein export pathway is the dominant mechanism for protein display (e.g., phage display, cell surface display) and also for the expression and engineering of small, non-glycosylated antibody fragments. However, due to a number of limitations associated with Sec export, bacterial production of stable, high-affinity antibody fragments in high yields for preclinical and clinical trials can be a serious bottleneck in the antibody drug pipeline. Therefore, the overall objective of the proposal is to develop a versatile antibody expression and engineering platform by capitalizing on the remarkable properties of the recently discovered bacterial twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway. Towards this objective, the current proposal encompasses the following specific aims: (1) creation of synthetic libraries of single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragments; and (2) application of a proprietary Tat-based genetic selection strategy for efficient isolation of super-stable, ultra- high affinity human scFvs against disease-relevant antigens. The proposed studies are expected to result in a rapid, single-step selection platform for the discovery of scFv sequences that fold and function in intra- or extra-cellular environments. Successful completion of the proposed studies is expected to result in a powerful new technology for generating potent antibody-based biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics and research reagents. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: By 2008, engineered antibody fragments are predicted to account for gt30% of all revenues in the biotechnology market and will be used to treat a wide array of human diseases including bacterial and viral infections, cancer, inflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Since antibody therapies are an increasingly large fraction of the drugs in development, with ever escalating increases in the cost of drug development, any improvements to the production or discovery of efficacious antibody fragments will have a significant impact on human health. Thus, this proposal seeks to develop a novel bacterial selection strategy for rapid, low-cost isolation of potent human antibodies against virtually any target antigen of interest.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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