Abeome
Corporation is a privately-held biotechnology company leveraging
its proprietary technology to optimize the discovery of
therapeutic and diagnostic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
The Company has rapidly advanced the use of the technology to discover potential therapeutic or diagnostic mAbs for ovarian cancer and is currently collaborating with Fox Chase Cancer Center. From a large library of antibodies, Abeome screened down to 34 of the most promising candidates and tested each on tissue micro arrays from human patients. From those tested on human patient tissues, 3 will be selected for a tumor regression study in mice; expected to commence in April 2010. The initial mAb for this study has been selected and its surface protein target is one that has been implicated in OC and other forms of cancer.
Over the past decade, mAbs have emerged as what is currently the hottest space in biotechnology therapeutic development. Based on mAbs' ability to bind selectively with important cell surface targets, life science companies are working to commercialize mAb-based therapeutic agents, diagnostics and biomarkers. Five mAb-based drugs now generate sales in excess of $4B billion annually each, and there are hundreds of mAb-based products currently moving through development pipelines; commonly in the areas of cancer or auto-immune diseases.
Despite the extraordinary resources and opportunities associated with mAbs, research and identification of novel/high-potential candidates remains a cumbersome, time-consuming and inefficient process. The traditional process has been described as looking for a needle in a haystack.
Abeome has developed proprietary, patented mAb technology that dramatically reduces cycle time and boosts yields of positives for each antigen target. By doing so, the Company is more discriminating in selecting those mAbs with the most optimal characteristics to move forward in its therapeutic and diagnostic development projects.
As a direct consequence of this efficiency improvement, and demonstrating the true power of the technology, Abeome has implemented a project to develop an ovarian cancer (OC) therapeutic and diagnostic using whole OC cells as the immunogen. Why whole cells? Simply put, this provides us with an advantage over other technologies that start with purified antigens. By purifying the antigen target, the purification process degrades the structure and configuration of the surface marker, thus resulting in mAbs that have affinity to the restructured surface. Using whole cells, Abeome is introducing surface proteins (to the mouse) that are more closely aligned with the native tumor protein and, therefore, should result in mAbs with higher affinity and avidity. We see this as a strong competitive advantage.
The technology is based on the innovative research of the Company's scientific founder, Dr. Richard Meagher, Professor of Genetics at the University of Georgia. Abeome is currently selectively licensing the platform technology and developing an ovarian cancer therapeutic and diagnostic.
Headed up by biotech entrepreneur, Mike Wanner (formerly Executive Director of Merial and President of ProLinia and Oncose), Abeome is based in Athens, Georgia and has 5 full-time and 2 part-time employees. In addition, the Company employs scientific experts, including scientific founder and acting CSO, Dr. Richard Meagher. The Board of Directors and Scientific Advisor Board are steeped in biotech and entrepreneurial experts including original scientists at both Amgen and Genentech, the two largest biotech companies in the world (see Team tab for more information).
Together, this strong team of individuals and collaborations with Fox Chase Cancer Center, Cato Research (CRO), and a number of commercial affiliations with large biotech companies, Abeome is poised to develop rapidly into a major player in the biotech arena. The Companies' technology enables the ability to rapidly develop a pipeline of products. As an example of this rapid pipeline capability, the Company can repeat its recent success on its OC project and, in less than one year's time, progress from immunizing mice with the antigen of interest to identifying a group of functional mAbs to that target. We see this capability as our long term value driver.
The Company already generates a small amount of revenue through some minor contract deals and prototype projects. The majority of early year revenues will come from licensing its technology on a selective basis to biopharma companies. Abeome plans to partner its lead drug and diagnostic candidates with biopharma to recognize value and will progressively move products further down the clinical trial pathway to maximize value.
The Company has rapidly advanced the use of the technology to discover potential therapeutic or diagnostic mAbs for ovarian cancer and is currently collaborating with Fox Chase Cancer Center. From a large library of antibodies, Abeome screened down to 34 of the most promising candidates and tested each on tissue micro arrays from human patients. From those tested on human patient tissues, 3 will be selected for a tumor regression study in mice; expected to commence in April 2010. The initial mAb for this study has been selected and its surface protein target is one that has been implicated in OC and other forms of cancer.
Over the past decade, mAbs have emerged as what is currently the hottest space in biotechnology therapeutic development. Based on mAbs' ability to bind selectively with important cell surface targets, life science companies are working to commercialize mAb-based therapeutic agents, diagnostics and biomarkers. Five mAb-based drugs now generate sales in excess of $4B billion annually each, and there are hundreds of mAb-based products currently moving through development pipelines; commonly in the areas of cancer or auto-immune diseases.
Despite the extraordinary resources and opportunities associated with mAbs, research and identification of novel/high-potential candidates remains a cumbersome, time-consuming and inefficient process. The traditional process has been described as looking for a needle in a haystack.
Abeome has developed proprietary, patented mAb technology that dramatically reduces cycle time and boosts yields of positives for each antigen target. By doing so, the Company is more discriminating in selecting those mAbs with the most optimal characteristics to move forward in its therapeutic and diagnostic development projects.
As a direct consequence of this efficiency improvement, and demonstrating the true power of the technology, Abeome has implemented a project to develop an ovarian cancer (OC) therapeutic and diagnostic using whole OC cells as the immunogen. Why whole cells? Simply put, this provides us with an advantage over other technologies that start with purified antigens. By purifying the antigen target, the purification process degrades the structure and configuration of the surface marker, thus resulting in mAbs that have affinity to the restructured surface. Using whole cells, Abeome is introducing surface proteins (to the mouse) that are more closely aligned with the native tumor protein and, therefore, should result in mAbs with higher affinity and avidity. We see this as a strong competitive advantage.
The technology is based on the innovative research of the Company's scientific founder, Dr. Richard Meagher, Professor of Genetics at the University of Georgia. Abeome is currently selectively licensing the platform technology and developing an ovarian cancer therapeutic and diagnostic.
Headed up by biotech entrepreneur, Mike Wanner (formerly Executive Director of Merial and President of ProLinia and Oncose), Abeome is based in Athens, Georgia and has 5 full-time and 2 part-time employees. In addition, the Company employs scientific experts, including scientific founder and acting CSO, Dr. Richard Meagher. The Board of Directors and Scientific Advisor Board are steeped in biotech and entrepreneurial experts including original scientists at both Amgen and Genentech, the two largest biotech companies in the world (see Team tab for more information).
Together, this strong team of individuals and collaborations with Fox Chase Cancer Center, Cato Research (CRO), and a number of commercial affiliations with large biotech companies, Abeome is poised to develop rapidly into a major player in the biotech arena. The Companies' technology enables the ability to rapidly develop a pipeline of products. As an example of this rapid pipeline capability, the Company can repeat its recent success on its OC project and, in less than one year's time, progress from immunizing mice with the antigen of interest to identifying a group of functional mAbs to that target. We see this capability as our long term value driver.
The Company already generates a small amount of revenue through some minor contract deals and prototype projects. The majority of early year revenues will come from licensing its technology on a selective basis to biopharma companies. Abeome plans to partner its lead drug and diagnostic candidates with biopharma to recognize value and will progressively move products further down the clinical trial pathway to maximize value.
