Memo Therapeutics AG, an innovator in the field of antibody discovery and development, announced today that MTX-COVAB, its human-derived antibody against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has shown efficacy against both the original virus as well as the UK variant (B.1.1.7). Memo is now preparing MTX-COVAB for clinical evaluation.
Using its microfluidic, single-cell molecular cloning and screening technologies to enable antibody repertoire mining and antibody discovery, Memo can discover novel antibodies at unprecedented speed, efficiency and sensitivity derived from recovered patient samples. This approach has enabled the company to also identify a very promising antibody candidate against the South African variant (B.1.351).
Memo is collaborating with Serum Institute India and prestigious academic partners in Austria, Brazil and South Africa to source patient samples in the coming weeks to enable the isolating of promising, effective antibodies against each of the variants. This can be achieved in as little as 3 weeks from receiving the blood sample.
“Addressing SARS-CoV-2 variants remains a global challenge and one that will remain. Vaccines will not always be effective against all variants, so the ability of our technology to rapidly identify active antibodies could form an additional strategy to combat the spread of these mutant strains,” Dr. Christoph Esslinger, CSO and co-founder of Memo said.
“Memo’s ability to discover potent antibodies against COVID variants in such a short period of time highlights the power and broad applicability of our technology,” said Dr. Karsten Fischer, CEO of Memo Therapeutics AG. “We look forward to working with colleagues in India, Austria, South Africa and Brazil to apply this potent approach to these difficult to control new strains.”
Clinical development of MTX-COVAB is being advised by Vakzine Projekt Management GmbH.
About Memo Therapeutics AG
Memo Therapeutics AG is an innovator in the field of antibody discovery and immune repertoire analysis. The company’s antibody discovery platform uses robust, simple and fast microfluidic single-cell molecular cloning and screening technologies to enable antibody repertoire mining and antibody discovery at unprecedented speed, efficiency and sensitivity.
The platform captures and preserves entire B-cell repertoires from any donor species and any B-cell type in recombinant form for display using mammalian cells. The antibody repertoires are subsequently screened in single-cell format using microfluidic screening technology that can assess millions of candidate antibodies directly in functional assays, resulting in recombinant clonal cell lines expressing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the desired functional properties.
Exploiting the power of its microfluidic single-cell molecular cloning and screening technologies, Memo Therapeutics AG engages in antibody discovery across species and indications for proprietary and partnered projects. The company’s current pipeline features programs in infectious diseases and immuno-oncology. Memo Therapeutics AG is a private company located in Bio-Technopark Zurich, Switzerland.
