On November 1, 2023 iBio, Inc. (NYSEA:IBIO) ("iBio" or the "Company") reported the expansion of its AI-powered technology stack with the launch of ShieldTx, a patent-pending antibody masking technology designed to enable specific, highly targeted antibody delivery to diseased tissue without harming healthy tissue (Press release, iBioPharma, NOV 1, 2023, View Source [SID1234636638]). By adding ShieldTx to its Drug Discovery Platform, iBio uniquely integrates antibody engineering and masking in one accelerated process to potentially overcome the challenges of complex targets, safety, and developability in next-generation antibody discovery and development.
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The Company used ShieldTx to develop masks for its MUC16-targeted bispecific antibody ("Ab") candidates, which were previously developed using iBio’s patented Epitope Steering and EngageTx AI Platforms. MUC16 is a well-known cancer target often overexpressed in several types of solid tumors, including ovarian, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
One of the main challenges of therapeutic antibody discovery is drug targets are often expressed on both healthy and diseased tissue, resulting in off-tissue side effects. Scientists are increasingly turning to antibody masking to reduce or eliminate these side effects. Masks deactivate Abs until they encounter a specific enzyme only present in the target diseased tissue. When masked Abs engage with this specific enzyme, the mask is removed, and the antibody is activated. This approach reduces or eliminates off-tissue side effects, enhances the therapeutic safety range, and reduces the risk of an unwanted immune response of bispecific Abs1. In an in vitro laboratory setting, iBio’s specially designed MUC16 bispecific Abs were deactivated and then reactivated, demonstrating successful application of the ShieldTx technology.
Traditional masking techniques are complex procedures and require the sequential optimization of antibody and mask. This increases development time and risk by adding more steps to a typically linear development and optimization process.
"Our technology aims to advance antibody masking by fine-tuning both the mask and antibody in tandem using our StableHu antibody optimizer and its mammalian display technology," said Matt Greving, Ph.D., VP & Head of Machine Learning & Platform Technologies at iBio. "This potentially reduces repetitive steps and may significantly boost the probability of success in creating masked antibodies. ShieldTx can be applied to cancer therapeutics, and potentially to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. iBio intends to use ShieldTx to further optimize its current antibody candidates, particularly the bispecific TROP-2 x CD3 molecules developed using our proprietary T-cell engager antibody panel, EngageTx."
"With 40% of approved antibodies working against just 10 targets2, there is significant potential for therapeutic development against additional new targets; but unfortunately, these targets are often difficult and complex, and require new technologies to optimize antibody discovery and development," added iBio’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer, Martin Brenner, DVM, Ph.D. "We are rapidly building an integrated end-to-end platform incorporating the most innovative technologies in machine learning, computational biology, and synthetic biology to enable iBio and our partners to craft the next generation of antibody-based therapeutics against difficult targets and modes of action. ShieldTx is the latest example, following the launch of EngageTx earlier this year."