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PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION
Oxford BioMedica’s
proprietary technologies can be used for
the genetic delivery of monoclonal antibodies. Rather than producing recombinant
antibodies conventionally as protein therapeutics, Oxford BioMedica
can deliver the gene for the antibody and have the patient produce
the antibody endogenously. This circumvents the need for the
costly and time-consuming production of the protein and it solves
some of the pharmacokinetic problems of administering high doses
of antibody.
APPLICATIONS
(i) Oncology:
The Company’s main focus for this technology is cancer where
the disease can be treated by genetic delivery of anti-tumour/cytotoxic
antibodies. This programme is at the preclinical/research stage.
In in vivo models, intravenous injection of Oxford BioMedica’s
proprietary vector system carrying an anti-tumour monoclonal antibody
gene results in levels of antibody that are comparable to therapeutic
levels achieved with protein. In addition, expression is maintained
for at least seven weeks (end of experiment).
(ii) Infectious disease/Immediate Supplemental Immunity:
Genetic delivery of antibodies could be used for the treatment
of infectious disease and may be useful in biodefence. Unless
a population was pre-immunised, a biological attack would demand
immediate protection of that population from the infectious agent.
A traditional way of achieving this is by giving immune serum,
immunoglobulin or perhaps recombinant antibody. This requires
manufacturing and stockpiling of the product in substantial quantities.
There may be shelf-life problems and, most importantly, the protection
is short-lived.
Using Oxford BioMedica’s genetic approach,
the population could receive an intravenous injection of high
titre vector that produced one or more high affinity neutralising
antibodies. This could provide protection against the biological
agent for several weeks. The quantities of product involved are
small, easy to transport and administration is simple. Oxford
BioMedica refers to this approach as "Immediate Supplemental Immunity" because it provides the population with a relatively long-lasting
addition to their normal immune system and specifically protects against the pathogen. Furthermore, because the antibodies can
be highly selected from recombinant libraries, the immediate
immunity should be high.
TECHNOLOGY
Oxford BioMedica has all of the vector and expression technology
to develop products for genetic delivery of antibodies.
COMMERCIALISATION
STRATEGY
Oxford BioMedica is seeking partnerships for the development of
gene-based antibody products. The Company aims to work with partners
who have developed high affinity anti-tumour antibodies or neutralising
antibodies against relevant pathogens.
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