European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer: Overcoming ADC Challenges with ThioBridge™

Abzena’s CSO, Dr Campbell Bunce was recently featured in an article in European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s latest issue, entitled:  Q&A: Overcoming ADC Challenges with Abzena’s ThioBridge™ Platform

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EPM Editor Jai McIntosh recently caught up with Campbell Bunce, Chief Scientific Officer and Cambridge Site Head at Abzena to discuss Abzena’s ThioBridge® technology.

Jai: Could you please explain what Abzena’s ThioBridge™ technology is?

Campbell: Abzena’s ThioBridge™ is a type of linker technology enabling the production of innovative bioconjugate therapeutics through the attachment of payloads to proteins containing cysteine bonds. In drug development, the protein chosen is typically an antibody, receptor or ligand that specifically targets a particular location and cell type in the body. Through bioconjugation, a payload can be linked to the protein to enable its delivery precisely to the target site.

Linker technologies are critical components in the development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with cytotoxic payloads, which can specifically target and kill cancer cells and promote tumor clearance.

However, many linker technologies — particularly those used in first-generation ADC bioconjugation like maleimide — have limitations, including inconsistent drug-to-antibody ratios (DAR) and unstable linkers. These can impact the safety and efficacy of the ADC. ThioBridge™ has been developed to overcome the limitations associated with traditional linker technologies.

Jai: Please can you give an overview as to why this technology is important for ADCs?

Campbell: Overcoming the shortfalls seen in ADC design over the last couple of decades is critical to improving a targeted approach to drug delivery, leading to a better therapeutic window with maximum efficacy and minimal safety issues.

ThioBridge™ is important for the advancement of ADCs as it addresses issues commonly associated with traditional bioconjugation technologies by:

• Creating a very stable and uniform DAR composition.
• Improving manufacturing efficiency through a high-yielding ADC platform with up to 80% single DAR species.
• Exhibiting a high degree of stability in serum and being less prone to losing its payload in the body before it gets to its target.
• Allowing for an extensive range of linker designs to optimize the stability, loading and function of the payload.
• Providing versatility in the range of different payloads with different functions that can be attached to antibodies.

Although one solution does not always fit all when it comes to ADCs, ThioBridge™ offers a versatility that broadens the options for design, improving the prospects of better treatments for patients.

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About Abzena’s ThioBridge™ Technology

Our unique ThioBridge™ conjugation technology has been proven to enhance ADC development by overcoming issues with existing technologies in order to improve stability, potency, and efficacy.  If you are looking to rapidly move your ADC program to its next regulatory or clinical milestone, access our latest information on ThioBridge™ today to learn how.