SC4: Mutation and Selection Strategies Beyond Affinity Optimisation
Monday November 12, 9:00 – 12:00

Room Location: Room 1.07

Moderators:

Brian Fennell, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, BioMedicine Design (BMD), Pfizer Dublin

Fred Darmanin Sheehan, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, Biomedicine Design Pfizer Dublin

In therapeutic antibody discovery, few lead molecules meet all of the demands required of a truly manufacturable drug. Most lead candidates require some form of engineering and optimization. This course will begin with an introduction to the multiple display technology platforms, mutagenesis strategies and library generation options that exist to enable antibody optimization. In the simplest application, generated libraries can be selected for improved antigen binding. However, increasingly these strategies are being used for more complex applications from humanization to ortholog cross-reactivity, stability, solubility and specificity optimizations. This workshop will use case studies to help attendees navigate the complex workflows and technological options available to ensure success.

This course will cover

• Display technologies
• Optimization library design, build & selection strategies
• Case studies using novel strategies for therapeutic optimization
• CDR-based binary substitution for ultra-humanization
• Stability & solubility engineering
• Combining rational & Darwinian approaches for optimal affinity

Brian Fennell, PhD, Senior principal Scientist, BioMedicine Design (BMD), Pfizer Dublin

Brian Fennell is a Senior Principal Scientist in the BioMedicine Design Group, at Pfizer Grange Castle, Dublin, Ireland. Brian is coming up on 11 years in the BMD group/Pfizer & his group is responsible for the discovery and molecular engineering of novel protein therapeutics to treat a wide spectrum of human diseases. Prior to joining Pfizer, Brian was awarded an IRCSET fellowship & worked as a Post-Doctoral researcher focusing on tubulin as a potential drug target in the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum at the Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin. He obtained his Degree from University College Dublin (UCD) and PhD from the Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Brian has attended and presented at numerous scientific workshops & conferences & has published book chapters & original research in numerous journals such as The Journals of Molecular Biology, PNAS, Immunology, Molecular Biochemical Parasitology, Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and in mAbs

Fred Darmanin Sheehan, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, Biomedicine Design Pfizer Dublin

Fred Sheehan is a Senior Principal Scientist in the BioMedicine Design Group, at Pfizer Grange Castle, Dublin, Ireland. Fred has been in his current role for just over 11 years, he runs a group of scientists within the BMD / Pfizer responsible for the discovery and molecular engineering of novel biotherapeutics using display technologies. Prior to joining Pfizer, Fred worked as a Post-Doctoral researcher in the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute focusing on the development of portable, user-friendly, and autonomous antibody-based diagnostic systems for human and animal healthcare. He obtained his PhD from Dublin City University (DCU). Fred has attended and presented at numerous scientific workshops & conferences & has published book chapters & original research in numerous journals.