Antibody Engineering Technology
In parallel with drug discovery research using advanced biotechnology, Kyowa Hakko Kirin is also undertaking research in platform technologies related to antibody engineering. Exploiting the genome research assets and research network that we have fostered over our history, we are creating antibodies against target proteins and other molecules that are important target for drug discovery and developing therapeutic antibodies in our focused fields of cancer and immunological diseases. Through genetic engineering technologies that produce antibodies with enhanced efficacy (enhanced antibody activity technology) and those that use animals to produce antibodies that are equivalent to human-produced antibodies and compatible with the human body (fully human antibody production technology), and then linking them to the value chain of production process technology, our company is aiming to create future assets through biotechnology-based pharmaceuticals.
Therapeutic Antibodies
Antibodies are proteins generated endogenously to fight and eliminate the viruses, bacteria and other foreign substances (antigens) which invade the body. Antibodies have a unique ability to bind to a particular part of foreign substances (antigens) called the epitope, thus marking them as harmful substances, and result in their elimination directly or with aid of immunocytes. Antibodies are hence a vital substance acting as one part of immune system.
Therapeutic antibodies are pharmaceuticals based on antibody's feature that recognize antigens specifically. Currently, therapeutic antibodies have been developed that are able to recognize and attack antigens specifically expressed in cancer cells and are gaining attention as an effective way of treating cancer with fewer side effects. Possible expansion of therapeutic antibodies would be expected through the identification of new antigens as the target for drug discovery by further genome analysis.
The Current Circumstances Surrounding Therapeutic Antibodies
Numerous companies are involved in the development of therapeutic antibodies, from world-wide pharmaceutical company called Mega Pharma to start-up Biotechs. The acquisition of antigens with promising potential for therapeutics is a key part of this development.
Since antibodies generated in cattle and mice are effective in the first-dose but then may lose their efficacy, and also have various side effects (antigenicity), it is preferable to administer antibody molecules that are as close as possible to human antibodies.
Production cost is one of the other issues of therapeutic antibodies. Because of the quantitative limitation that can be produced by each cell, massive costs ensue from the equipment needed to cultivate animal cells in large numbers, from quality control and raw materials cost.
Accordingly, challenges for therapeutic antibody development are
1) the acquisition of antigens linked to treatments;
2) sufficient safety for repeated treatments;
3) efficient manufacturing methods and ways of keeping costs down.
Utilizing POTELLIGENT® and COMPLEGENT® technologies for producing enhanced antibody activity and its Fully Human Antibody Producing Mouse (KM Mouse) and human antibody producing cattle technologies, Kyowa Hakko Kirin will strive for the creation of new therapeutic antibodies in cooperation with its worldwide partners.
