Latest news with #antibody
Reuters
a day ago
- Health
- Reuters
US FDA approves Merck's RSV antibody for infants
June 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Merck's (MRK.N), opens new tab preventive antibody shot to protect infants up to one year of age from respiratory syncytial virus during their first RSV season, the company said.
National Post
5 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Biocytogen Secures Japan Patent for RenMab Platform, Expands Global Patent Portfolio for RenMice Fully Human Antibody/TCR Platform
Article content BEIJING — Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Biocytogen, HKEX: 02315) today announced that the key technology of its independently developed RenMab™ fully human antibody mouse platform has been granted an invention patent by the Japan Patent Office (JPO). This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening the global intellectual property portfolio of the RenMice ® fully human antibody platform family. It underscores the continued advancement of Biocytogen's comprehensive global patent strategy and highlights the innovation and international recognition of the company's proprietary technologies. Article content RenMab™ mice are a core member of Biocytogen's independently developed RenMice ® fully human antibody discovery platform family. Using Biocytogen's proprietary Size-Unlimited and Precise Chromosome Engineering (SUPCE ®) technology, the complete repertoire of murine immunoglobulin heavy chain and light chain variable region genes was precisely replaced in situ with their human counterparts. As a result, RenMab mice have the full repertoire of human antibody heavy chain VDJ and light chain VJ genes. It retains the ability to mount robust immune responses against diverse antigens, comparable to wild-type mice, and can generate fully human antibodies with native-like diversity, significantly improving the efficiency and success rate of discovering high-potential therapeutic candidates. Importantly, antibodies derived from RenMab mice require no additional humanization, effectively minimizing immunogenicity risks and streamlining the antibody drug development process. Article content With distinct advantages in discovering fully human antibodies and TCRs with low immunogenicity, high diversity, favorable affinity, and excellent physicochemical properties, Biocytogen's RenMice platform series (RenMab™/RenLite ® /RenNano ® /RenTCR-mimic™/RenTCR™) has gained widespread recognition in the global biotech and biopharmaceutical industry. Licensing agreements have been established with 20+ companies, including Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson, and BeiGene. Leveraging the RenMice platform, the RenBiologics™ program has generated over 1,000,000 fully human antibody sequences and numerous high-potential preclinical candidates against more than 1,000 therapeutic targets. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 200 agreements encompassing therapeutic antibody co-development, out-licensing, and asset transfers have been executed, highlighting the RenMice platform's strong global competitiveness and significant commercial value. Article content With its sustained independent research and cutting-edge technological innovation capabilities, Biocytogen has been actively advancing its global patent portfolio and key technology protections for the RenMice ® platform. To date, the RenMice platform has secured patent grants in nearly 10 countries, including the U.S., China, and Japan, while nearly 40 patent applications are under examination across 15 countries and regions. With the steady progress of the global patent strategy, additional patent grants are anticipated in the near term. This strong intellectual property protection framework will continue to deliver reliable assurance to Biocytogen's partners worldwide. Article content About Biocytogen Article content Biocytogen (HKEX: 02315) is a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies. Founded on gene editing technology, Biocytogen leverages genetically engineered proprietary RenMice ® (RenMab™/ RenLite ® / RenNano ® / RenTCR-mimic™ ) platforms for fully human monoclonal/bispecific/multispecific antibody discovery, bispecific antibody-drug conjugate discovery, nanobody discovery and TCR-mimic antibody discovery, and has established a sub-brand, RenBiologics™, to explore global partnerships for an off-the-shelf library of >1,000,000 fully human antibody sequences against over 1000 targets for worldwide collaboration. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 200 therapeutic antibody and multiple clinical asset co-development/out-licensing/transfer agreements and over 50 target-nominated RenMice ® licensing projects have been established around the globe, including several partnerships with multinational pharmaceutical companies (MNCs). Biocytogen pioneered the generation of drug target knock-in humanized models for preclinical research, and currently provides a few thousand off-the-shelf animal and cell models under the company's sub-brand, BioMice™, along with preclinical pharmacology and gene-editing services for clients worldwide. Headquartered in Beijing, Biocytogen has branches in China (Haimen Jiangsu, Shanghai), USA (Boston, San Francisco, San Diego), and Germany (Heidelberg). For more information, please visit Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Biocytogen Contacts Article content Article content Antibody assets and platforms: Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
OSU researchers create nasal spray that could stop the flu; blocks infection in mice
An antibody that could revolutionize the prevention of influenza, other viruses and even non-viral diseases like cancer was recently engineered by Ohio State scientists. In a study published April 29, this new molecule was successful in protecting a majority of the tested mice from lethal flu doses, even preventing some from experiencing any symptoms at all, according to a May 8 Ohio State News article. Head researcher and the study's co-lead author Dr. Kai Xu said the engineered molecule — transmitted via nasal spray — works by triggering 'mucosal immunity,' meaning it coats the tissue that lines the body's organs and tracts before a virus can enter. By contrast, current flu vaccines rely on 'systemic immunity,' which fights the virus after infection. Xu said combining both immune responses into one engineered antibody could 'enhance the protection' of conventional, injection-based vaccines. 'Our creation can complement the conventional vaccine in terms of targeting to prevent the seasonal flu infection,' Xu, also an Ohio State assistant professor of veterinary biosciences, said. 'It can be a replacement, but we believe that these two can synergize with each other.' Researchers created the new antibody by combining two existing ones: immunoglobulin G, which makes up most antibodies in the human body and has two 'arms' to target specific viruses, and immunoglobulin M, the immune system's first line of defense with 10 'arms' to attack infection. Traditionally, flu prevention has focused on IgG. The problem, Xu said, is that the flu virus can mutate, making it harder for IgG to identify and fight it. IgM, however, can still latch onto the virus even if a part of it changes, thanks to its many arms. By combining IgM's 'stickiness' with IgG's precision, Xu said his lab engineered an antibody that could neutralize the flu more effectively than either antibody alone. When tested on mice using a nasal spray, Xu said the antibody successfully stuck to their mucosal surfaces for a week, protecting most from lethal doses of common flu strains. Xu said this finding suggests the antibody could work similarly in humans. If used to complement existing flu vaccines, the engineered antibody would be especially beneficial not only in years when medical professionals inaccurately predict the specific strain that spreads during flu season, but also for individuals who don't have a strong immune response to vaccines, Xu said. Since this study was published, Xu said his team has continued its analysis to work toward a large-animal experiment — which is necessary before a clinical trial can take place — and optimizing the molecule's production so large amounts can be obtained quickly for further testing. Xu said his team is also working on expanding the scope of this study to other kinds of illness beyond influenza — from bird flu to cancer to coronavirus. By working with other research programs at Ohio State and pharmaceutical company IGM Biosciences, Xu said he hopes his team's research can one day become a therapeutic drug. 'This research really benefits from multidisciplinary collaboration,' Xu said. 'I think that by enhancing the collaboration within OSU and even with the industry partner in the future, we will certainly enhance our research for a national medicine.' Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@ or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OSU study finds new antibody to prevent the flu through nasal spray
CBC
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Meet 4 New Brunswick writers carving out a space of their own
New Brunswick has a deep treasure trove when it comes to writers. With the likes of Bliss Carman, Shirley Bear, and David Adams Richards, the soil seems rich for growing literary talent. Here's a look at some New Brunswick writers working away at various stages of their careers, hoping to build a reputation of their own. Gemma Marr: 'A magical place for creatives' Gemma Marr has reviewed books for outlets such as Atlantic Books Today and the Miramichi Reader. She's also an instructor at UNB in saint John and a co-ordinator at the Lorenzo Society, an arts and culture organization. Marr got into creative writing in elementary school after a teacher really encouraged her class to write. "I remember she asked us to write a story about whatever we wanted and, for some reason, I wrote a story about this abused dog, and she really enjoyed it and thought it was quite good and encouraged me to keep writing." Marr has found a supportive community of writers in Saint John, which she describes as "a kind of magical place for creatives." "I'm very lucky to have found a great group of people in the city who are writing and are extremely supportive." For a while, writing brought her such uneasiness that she was unable to do it. Yet, she says, dedication is key. " I try to write every day, even if it's only for 20 minutes. I really do try to sit down and pick away at something, whether that's on my computer or by hand or even in a Note app on my phone," Marr said. "Just try to move something forward." Rebecca Salazar: 'Weird rage scream of a book' Rebecca Salazar is already a published author. She's has written three books of poetry, one of which, sulphurtongue, was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for English-language poetry in 2021. Her new collection, antibody, will be released in March. She works as an editor for The Fiddlehead and Plentitude, both literary journals, and is a PhD student at UNB Fredericton. Salazar describes a ntibody, her new poetry collection that is about to be released, as "a weird rage scream of a book," dealing with the intersections of trauma and body horror. She also started writing at a very young age. "I think I was probably eight years old when I decided that being a bookworm was not enough, and I wanted to start writing as well." She found a writing community in Fredericton through the university. " When I came to New Brunswick, I came to study creative writing at UNB and met a lot more writers through that, got to know various different aspects of that community too… mainly through working with small magazines," Salazar said. She worked with QWERTY magazine first , which is student run at UNB, and with The Fiddlehead as well, "which is larger and more established. It's just my involvement through that side of the publishing world that got me connected with writers all over the country and outside the country." Salazar describes her writing process as messy. She tends to write fragments at a time and then find a thread with which to weave them together. As she works, she finds the trail. "So just kind of like reshuffling all these fragments and recombining them until something comes out of it," she said. "And there's always kind of a sense that there is something driving it, even if at first I don't know what it is. It kind of becomes clearer the more I play around with it." Teresa Wu: 'Crying in calculus' Teresa Wu, 17, winner of the 2024 Writers Federation of New Brunswick Sheree Fitch prize for young writers, for her story, Sunken Ship of Theseus. Wu first got into writing as a "coping mechanism" when she began to write a journal in middle school to get her emotions out. It was only when a teacher in Grade 11 "forced" the students to enter writing competitions that she began to push herself, she said. Wu said that one of her life goals is to publish a book but she is still just learning about the writing process and the literary industry. At the moment, she said she doesn't time to write because of schoolwork and joked that she might write something titled 'Crying in Calculus.' Because she is known as the writer in her friend group, her friends have developed a habit of writing her letters, which she loves. Wu said that, as someone trying to pursue science, she has often received feedback that she should not focus on the arts: "Most people don't see the relevance of my love for literature and my desire to write. And it's always been presented as a binary choice. It's either like become a writer or become a doctor. It's left or right, black or white," she said. And she was inspired by the Paul Kalanithi book, When Breath Becomes Air. "He's a neurosurgeon that wrote this very beautiful memoir/novel. And he really proved that people who study science can be equally fluent in art," Wu said. "And I think that's something we all need to see. Like, we need to see the art in science and understand the science in art." Casey Shelley: 'Rexwood Rings, YA Fantasy' Casey Shelley is the award-winning author of the forthcoming novel, Rexwood Rings, is an elementary school teacher and has also worked as a copy editor. Rexwood Rings is a young-adult fantasy novel which will be published by CSG Books, a small local publishing house, in April. It tells the story of Landon Rexwood, an immortal who lives beneath the earth's surface, and his attempt to save the only world he knows. Shelley says that she got into writing as a child but it slipped away as she grew up. It was only in the past few years, after actively seeking out a writing community, that she got back into it. She now writes daily and participates in several different writing groups in Saint John, including Write Now Saint John and Saint John Writes. She credits these groups with bringing her back into the writing world.
