X-Body BioSciences and Tanabe Research Labs Team Up to Develop mAbs for Autoimmune Diseases

X-Body Biosciences entered a partnership with Tanabe Research Laboratories (TRL) to identify therapeutic target epitopes and develop monospecific and/or bispecific antibodies against those targets. TRL is focussed on discovery and development of biologicals for autoimmune diseases.

Under terms of the deal, X-Body will be responsible for screening, and TRL will fund the work. TRL has the option to negotiate rights to the antibodies discovered in the collaboration for further preclinical research, clinical development, and commercialization.

X-Body will leverage its human antibody library and Protein Chain Reaction™ screening technology. The platform reportedly allows for screening against cell surface targets in their native state on live cells or purified target proteins.

This selection system employs next-generation sequencing to analyze thousands of hits to obtain high-quality leads. The modular leads generated can be incorporated into V(H) domain, scFv, IgG, and bispecific antibody formats.

"X-Body's technology represents a major step forward in the ability to rapidly generate thousands of human antibodies against functionally relevant targets,” according to Roland Newman, Ph.D., CSO of TRL. “The power and versatility of X-Body's platform in generating antibodies against targets that are inaccessible by conventional techniques offers new and exciting prospects."