Debiopharm has launched a global Antibody-Drug Conjugates Innovation Challenge on a global crowdsourcing platform.searching for chemical conjugation methods that apply to small format antibodies. The winning proposal will be awarded a monetary prize and be acquired by Debiopharm. The Lausanne based pharma company has already two ADC technologies developed internally.
ADCs are a class of biopharmaceutical drugs designed as targeted therapy or diagnostic tool known for treating solid and liquid cancers. ADCs are large and complex molecules composed of an antibody linked to a biologically active cytotoxic payload. ADCs are designed to target and kill specific cells while sparing healthy cells. Nonetheless, due to their large size, conventional ADCs are exposed to tumor penetration issues as well as non-specific binding, which ultimately affects the quality of the diagnosis or therapy. Small format antibodies are significantly smaller and thus penetrate tissues more efficiently. They are also eliminated from the body more rapidly and thus offer an ideal method for diagnostic imaging.
Through its global ADC open-innovation Challenge on Wazoku, an open innovation crowdsourcing platform, Debiopharm aims to identify an effective method for linking a cytotoxic or traceable payload to small format antibodies, whose crystallizable fragment (Fc) has been removed. The Challenge is open to participants from various backgrounds, including science, engineering, and technology. Participation will require the submission of a written proposal directly via the Wazoku Platform before October 15th, 2022. Following the contest's submission period, Debiopharm will evaluate each proposal and provide notification of the winning solution that will receive a monetary prize of $40'000 and will be acquired by Debiopharm.
“With more than 40 years of experience, we have learned that collaboration is key to finding novel solutions to unmet medical needs. Through active open innovation strategies, we want to provide new treatments to cancer patients”, said Frederic Levy, Senior Executive Director, Search and Evaluation, Debiopharm.
Specializing in the manufacturing and development of oncology and antibiotic therapies, Debiopharm entered this research collaboration to extend the ADC technologies developed internally, AbYlink and Multilink. The first linker technology allows to selectively attach cytotoxic or traceable payloads to the Fc portion of the antibody while the second linker technology is suited for multidrug attachment.
(Press release/RAN)
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