Cambridge Healthtech Instituteの第11回年次
Antibodies Against Membrane Protein Targets - Part 1
(抗膜タンパク質抗体の標的 パート1)
創薬ワークフロー
2023年9月26日〜27日 東部夏時間
9月26日(火)
Registration and Morning Coffee7:00 am
Welcome Remarks7:55 am
ANTIGEN DESIGN
抗原のデザイン
Strategies to Enable Antibody Discovery for Complex Targets
Corey Smith, PhD, Principal Research Scientist, Global Biologics Protein Science, AbbVie
Stable recombinant proteins that resemble the native target structure and function are essential for the advancement of pipeline projects. The complexity of membrane protein targets poses a unique series of challenges, and we have developed methods to produce these targets in formats useful for biologics discovery. I will present our evolving platform utilizing virus-like particles and other methods to enable targeting complex transmembrane targets.
Novel Polymers for Making Membrane Proteins for Antibody Generation while Preserving the Local Lipid Environment
Tim Dafforn, PhD, Professor, Biotechnology, University of Birmingham
Successful therapeutic antibody production requires that your antigen sample contains proteins that exist in therapeutically relevant conformations. For membrane protein antigens, this remains a significant challenge, as the membrane which stabilizes active conformation is often absent from the sample. Our development of SMALP solubilization resolved this by including the intact local membrane environment. In this talk, I discuss new enhanced polymers that can be used for conformational trapping of proteins.
IN VIVO DISCOVERY STRATEGIES
IN VIVO創薬戦略
Advances in Complex Membrane Protein Engineering and Emerging Immunization Strategies for Lead Discovery
Alec Woosley, PhD, Senior Scientist, Biologics Engineering and Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have emerged as a viable format for displaying complex membrane protein antigens for lead discovery and screening. However, VLPs present off-target epitopes that may convolute successful lead discovery. Herein, we will present a case study that deployed an optimized VLP-based immunization, as well as a VLP engineering approach that yielded 59 leads to a GPCR of therapeutic interest.
Networking Coffee Break9:35 am
Best Practices for Immunization and in vivo Repertoire Generation for Membrane Protein Targets
Claire Chen, PhD, Senior Scientist, Amgen
Multipass membrane proteins are an important class of therapeutic targets. However, generating diverse and effective antibody repertoires against these targets poses a significant challenge due to their complex structure and limited surface accessibility. In this perspective, we adopt various approaches such as leveraging transgenic animal platforms that produce fully human antibody repertoires and implementing a comprehensive immunization and screening strategy tailored specifically for the multipass membrane targets.
Optimization of an mRNA Platform for Antibody Discovery against Challenging Membrane Proteins
Meredith Hazen, Senior Scientific Researcher, Genentech
Multi-pass transmembrane proteins are difficult targets for antibody generation due to the challenge of making a protein with native conformation. I will present an mRNA-based immunization strategy that resulted in the identification of antibodies that bind to extracellular epitopes of challenging transmembrane proteins. This strategy incorporates mRNA-based antigens together with boosting, sorting, and screening strategies to yield antibodies against difficult target proteins.
Discovery of Multi-Pass Membrane Protein-Specific Antibodies through the Pairing of Humanized Transgenic Murine Diversities with a Yeast-Based Platform
Noel T. Pauli, PhD, Senior Scientist, Antibody Discovery, Adimab LLC
Multi-pass membrane proteins represent a pivotal challenge for antibody discovery platforms. Leveraging a yeast-based, single B cell discovery platform, we have developed a high-throughput methodology for isolating full-length antibodies from both wildtype and humanized transgenic murine diversities against membrane-obligate targets. The discovery process results in large panels of high-affinity, clonally-diverse antibodies without the aid of a soluble recombinant antigen.
Transition to Lunch12:05 pm

Phil Leighton, PhD, Senior Director, Molecular Biology, OmniAb
We have developed an engineered chicken that produces VHH antibodies with human variable regions. In these birds, the human VH contains framework mutations to provide stability and a truncated light chain that facilitates immunoglobulin secretion in the absence of the VL domain. Productive B-cell development is observed and when immunized with various targets, antigen-specific VHH offered a diverse repertoire of sequences, broad epitope coverage, and binding affinities reaching single-digit nM.
Session Break12:40 pm
SELECTION AND SCREENING
選択とスクリーニング
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: High-Throughput Functional Screening Platforms for Directed Evolution of GPCR-Targeting Biologics
Brandon DeKosky, PhD, Phillip and Susan Ragon Career Development Professor of Chemical Engineering, MIT Core Member, The Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University
The discovery of antibodies targeting membrane proteins, including GPCRs, has remained a tremendous challenge. This presentation will introduce a new strategy for high-throughput identification and screening of antibodies against membrane proteins, including to enable the efficient use of directed evolution for functional antibody engineering against difficult membrane protein targets.
Screening Strategies for Functional Antibodies
Gianluca Veggiani, PhD, Assistant Professor, Research, Louisiana State University
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a key role in human health and diseases. However, analysis of PTMs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is hindered by the difficulty of creating PTM-specific reagents using conventional methods. By combining rational engineering, structural analysis, and in vitro evolution we developed powerful probes for proteomics, genome-wide binding analysis, and imaging, allowing atomic resolution of the post-translationally modified proteome.
In-Person Group Discussions2:50 pm
Grand Opening Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing3:35 pm
A Fusion Protein Platform for Analyzing Tethered Agonism in the Adhesion Family of G Protein-Coupled Receptors
Stephen C. Blacklow, Professor & Head, Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors (aGPCRs) contain 33 family members that influence development and tissue homeostasis in a wide range of tissues. Signaling is thought to be induced when ligand binding liberates or unmasks a tethered agonist (TA) normally sequestered within a membrane proximal GAIN domain. We describe here a robust platform for evaluating TA-dependent and independent outputs and apply it to all 33 human aGPCRs. Our dataset is a rich source of signaling information with relevance to both biological investigation of different family members and development of therapeutics.
Isolation of Single-Domain Antibodies to Transmembrane Proteins Using Magnetized Yeast Cell Targets
Balaji M. Rao, PhD, Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University
The isolation of binding proteins from combinatorial libraries has typically relied on the use of a soluble, recombinantly-expressed form of the target protein when performing magnetic selections or fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Appropriate target protein expression and subsequent purification represents a significant bottleneck for both library screening and binder characterization. As an alternative, the use of target proteins expressed on the surface of magnetized yeast cells in combinatorial library screening and quantitative assessment of binding affinities is discussed.
Functional Patient-Derived Organoid Screenings for Discovery of an EGFR × LGR5 Bispecific Antibody
David Maussang-Detaille, PhD, Senior Director, Merus
The Merus Biclonics platform utilizes proprietary common light chain technologies to rapidly generate panels of multi-specific antibodies. Using unbiased screening approaches, large numbers of multi-specific antibodies can be tested in relevant biological assays to identify those with the strongest biological responses. We will showcase the application of an organoid-based unbiased screening that led to the discovery of our anti-EGFR×Lgr5 Biclonics, MCLA-158.
Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing5:45 pm
Close of Day6:45 pm
9月27日(水)
Registration and Morning Coffee7:30 am
INTEGRATION OF STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY AND IN SILICO METHODS
構造生物学とIN SILICO法の統合
Rational Design of Novel Ion Channel Modulators
Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy, PhD, Professor, Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis
The voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels play a key role as a mediator of action potential propagation in C-fiber nociceptors and are established molecular targets for pain therapy. We used available structural and experimental data to guide Rosetta design of potent and selective natural peptide-based inhibitors of human Nav1.7 channels. Our lead peptides are highly potent, selective, and stable, and inhibit NaV1.7 currents in human sensory neurons. Rationally-designed peptide inhibitors of human NaV1.7 channels have transformative potential to define a new class of biologics to treat pain.
Modeling Challenges for Membrane-Bound Proteins
Joanna Slusky, PhD, Assistant Professor, Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas
Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) control all interactions between Gram-negative bacteria and their environments including uptake and efflux of antibiotics. We created an algorithm that identifies bacterial OMPs from sequence. The quality of our algorithm allows us to identify ~1.8 million OMPs from prokaryotic genomes including 5 classes of structurally-unresolved OMPs. Our web-accessible database allows for further exploration of outer membrane proteins to uncover new targets for controlling antibiotic resistance.
Computer-Aided Design of Deimmunized Membrane Protein Ligands with Controlled Affinities
Erik Procko, PhD, Director, Discovery, Cyrus Biotechnology; Adjunct Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana
Using computational methods that score physical features of protein structures or apply artificial intelligence approaches, homologs and de novo proteins are screened in silico to replace human signaling proteins and their receptors. Predicted HLA-II epitopes that pose immunogenicity risks are removed through targeted mutations without damaging structure or activity. The proteins have a range of affinities, specificities, and signaling properties, which are tuned through experimental deep mutagenesis and affinity optimization.
Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing10:00 am
PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM
プレナリー基調講演プログラム
Plenary Keynote Introduction (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)10:45 am
PLENARY: The New Science of Therapeutics
Jay E. Bradner, MD, Physician Scientist, Former President, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc.
I will share reflections on how new paradigms in the science of therapeutics are creating opportunities to approach historic challenges in medicine. Specifically, I will share approaches to targeting transcription factors and discuss how modularity is a paradigm for next-generation low-molecular weight and biological therapeutics. Finally, I will offer reflections on drug development and the fitness, opportunities, and challenges of the biomedical ecosystem.
PLENARY: Accelerating Drug Discovery Using Machine Learning and Cell Painting Images
Microscopy images can reveal whether a cell is diseased, is responding to a drug treatment, or whether a pathway has been disrupted by a genetic mutation. In a strategy called image-based profiling, often using the Cell Painting assay, we extract hundreds of features of cells from images. Just like transcriptional profiling, the similarities and differences in the patterns of extracted features reveal connections among diseases, drugs, and genes.
Close of Antibodies Against Membrane Protein Targets - Part 1 Conference12:25 pm
* 不測の事態により、事前の予告なしにプログラムが変更される場合があります。