AbSano develops novel antibodies for innovative diagnostic tools as well as therapeutic purposes. “Our current projects involve the identification and optimization of antibodies targeting key players in autoimmune diseases and various cancer types,” tells Jos Raats, AbSano’s CEO. “As these selected targets have important roles during the course of various diseases, development of specific antibodies will open up possibilities for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. For instance, depending on the target of interest, these antibodies can be used to interfere with endogenous protein function or to guide a certain compound to the right cell population.”
The broad variety of techniques and knowledge available in-house, enables AbSano to develop antibodies from start to finish. “This process includes the isolation and identification of antibody sequences, selection of the most specific antibodies, tools and knowledge for efficient antibody humanization, and optimized protocols for the production of antibodies,” tells Sabine Cuijpers, Scientist at AbSano. During antibody development, AbSano utilizes a diverse set of approaches, including hybridoma culture as well as phage display from various species and with different antibody formats, to increase the variability within the set of lead antibodies. Thereby, they ensure the highest chances of success during subsequent validation and functional assays.
Pivot Park was first choice for AbSano to establish its base. Especially because the park houses other Biotech Companies with whom AbSano collaborates, and because the park has an excellent infrastructure for life sciences companies.