Platform will be used alongside FIoNA discovery engine.
Prolias negotiated an exclusive license from the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute to a fully human antibody technology designed to allow the generation of fully human antibodies from naive B cells in vitro.
UMBI claims the technology allows the fully human antibodies to be generated from readily accessible tissues including human peripheral blood and without direct immunization. Applications span the development of new therapeutics and diagnostics as well as antibody research reagent development, the organization suggests. Prolias says that the technology will allow it to develop fully human antibodies to novel targets discovered using its existing FIoNA™ technology.
FIoNA is reportedly capable of evaluating millions of different proteins simultaneously for a desired biological or biochemical function. It does not need any advanced knowledge about the active protein, its ligand, or its cellular target, Prolias states.
The technology has been designed to start at the endpoint of traditional drug discovery, in that it selects leads based on function and then proceeds to identify active proteins. Prolias is utilizing the technology in the search for new targets for a melanoma therapy. The company is also exploiting its Bead Blot™ technology to develop ligand-based affinity resins and to purify and target proteins and protein complexes. Product and service offerings span recombinant proteins, ELISA-based immunoassay kits, ligand identification, sample preparation and drug discovery.
In August 2009, Prolias launched its second family of ProSpectrum Ligands™, encompassing binders for hemoglobin, fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin, and von Willebrand/factor VIII complex.
