2016 Archived Content
Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s 3rd Annual
Display of Antibodies
Empowering Novel Biologics
31 October - 1 November 2016 | EPIC SANA Lisboa Hotel | Lisboa PORTUGAL
Display of antibodies is the engine responsible for the proliferation of novel constructs that are advancing into clinical studies. This meeting will showcase the latest technologies and applications including antibody generation, targeting ion channels
and GPCRs, engineering antibodies against immunotherapy targets, phenotypic screening and enhancing developability. Learn how the experts have made significant progress and uncover innovative approaches for improving library design and biophysical
properties of biologics, as well as gain insight from a heightened understanding of the immune system.
Scientific Advisory Board
Kerry Chester, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular Medicine, University College London Cancer Institute
Claire Dobson, Ph.D., Associate Director, Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, MedImmune Ltd
John McCafferty, Ph.D., Co-Founder, Director and CEO, IONTAS Ltd
Ahuva Nissim, Ph.D., Reader, Molecular Targeting, Biochemical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London
Final Agenda
Day 1 | Day 2 | Speaker Biographies | Download Brochure
MONDAY 31 OCTOBER
12:00 Registration
13:40 Welcome from PEGS Europe Team
13:45 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Ana Barbas, Ph.D., Coordinator, Bayer Satelite Laboratory at iBET, iBET and Bayer Portugal SA
13:50 Biotherapeutic Programs that Re-Direct Cytotoxic Lymphocytes to Cancer Cells
Paul Adam, Ph.D., Executive Director, Immune Modulation and Biotherapeutics Discovery, Boehringer Ingelheim
Cytotoxic lymphocytes such as NK and T cells have the capability to control cancer development and progression. Harnessing this cytotoxic potential with biotherapeutic agents is predicted to become a future pillar of cancer therapy in light of recent
clinical successes. This presentation will describe novel biotherapeutics whose mode of action involves the engagement and re-direction of NK and T cells to hematological tumors.
14:30 Antibody-Based Combination Cancer Immunotherapy at Roche pRED
Christian Klein, Ph.D., Distinguished Scientist, Head, Oncology Programs, Cancer Immunotherapy Discovery,
Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Zurich
This presentation will introduce novel antibody cancer immunotherapies developed at Roche pRED including novel IL2 variant immunocytokines and T cell bispecifics as well as preclinical data for their optimal combination and scheduling.
15:10 Safety Concerns Associated with Immunotherapy and Novel Biotherapeutics and Challenges in Investigating Their Immunotoxicity
Sandra S. Diebold, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Immunotoxicology, Biotherapeutics, National Institute for
Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)
The pre-clinical assessment of the risks associated with immunotherapy and novel biotherapeutics is challenging since the bioassays have to be individually tailored to the investigated reagent. The immunotoxic activity and adverse responses that may
be observed in patients are depending to a large degree on the mechanism of action of the biotherapeutic. The specific set-up of in vitro assays plus the identification of suitable animal models is critical for obtaining predictive pre-clinical
data.
15:50 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
16:50 Chairperson’s Remarks
Kerry Chester, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular Medicine, University College London Cancer Institute
16:55 FEATURED PRESENTATION: Optimisation of Chimeric Antigen Receptors for T Cell Cancer Therapy
Martin Pule, Ph.D., Clinical Senior Lecturer, University College London
17:25 Combinatorial Display in Development of T Cell Vaccines
Andrew Sewell, Ph.D., Professor, Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine
Several uses of combinatorial display will be described including: (1) Quantification of extremely high levels of T-cell cross-reactivity, (2) Definition of causal epitopes/pathogens during autoimmune disease, (3) Generation of optimal epitopes for given
T-cell clonotypes, (4) Ligand discovery for dominant ‘orphan’ T-cell clones following successful tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy for malignant melanoma and, (5) Generation of acid and protease stable non-biologic T-cell ligands
that can be orally administered. These exciting studies are providing new ubiquitous targets for cancer vaccination and open up the possibility of oral vaccination and/or induction of tolerance.
17:55 Development and Validation of llamdA, a Synthetic Domain Antibody Library
Guy Hermans, Ph.D., CSO, Isogenica Ltd.
llamdA is a synthetic library design based on natural camelid antibody repertoire analysis, manufactured to the highest fidelity standards using Isogenica’s COLIBRA library synthesis technology. The use of CIS cell-free display technology allows
for the selection of libraries with orders of magnitude greater diversity than competing technologies. We will discuss various validation studies where a high diversity of low single digit nanomolar binders could be rapidly isolated to different
therapeutically relevant targets.
18:25 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
19:25 End of Day
Day 1 | Day 2 | Speaker Biographies | Download Brochure
TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER
07:45 Registration and Morning Coffee
08:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Kerry Chester, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular Medicine, University College London Cancer Institute
08:40 How Display and Signaling of CAR Molecules Can Be Used to Redirect the Specificity of Human T Cells
Hinrich Abken, Ph.D., Professor, Genetics & Immunology, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University
of Cologne
Adoptive therapy with engineered T-cells with an antigen-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is achieving impressive efficacy in early phase trials, in particular in hematologic malignancies, strongly supporting the notion that the immune system
can control cancer. Such CAR T-cells can substantially reduce the tumor burden as long as the targeted antigen is present on the cancer cells and recognized by the antibody domain of the CAR.
09:10 Inclusion of Strep-Tag II in Design of Antigen Receptors
Stanley R. Riddell, M.D., Professor, Immunology & Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute
09:40 Problem-Solving Breakout Discussions
Feeding the Pipeline: How Will the Next Generation of Targets Be Identified and What Challenges Are Anticipated?
Moderator: Catherine Hutchings, Ph.D., Consultant, Antibody Alliance Management & Strategic Partnering, Heptares Therapeutics Ltd (confirmed)
•
Genomics discovery of new targets
• New biology/understanding target interactions
• Intractable targets
• New combinations
Development of Next Generation Treatment for Arthritic Conditions
Moderator: Ahuva Nissim, Ph.D., Reader, Molecular Targeting, Biochemical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London (confirmed)
•
What are the unmet needs of the current treatment?
• Systemic vs targeting treatment?
• What are the possible targets?
• How can targeted treatment improve response rate and maintain remission?
• How can
we apply it to other disease?
10:40 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:15 Chairperson’s Remarks
John McCafferty, Ph.D., Co-Founder, Director and CEO, IONTAS Ltd
11:20 Using Stabilised Receptors as Antigens to Generate Therapeutic Antibodies to GPCRs
Catherine Hutchings, Ph.D., Consultant, Antibody Alliance Management & Strategic Partnering,
Heptares Therapeutics Ltd.
Stabilized receptors offer a breakthrough solution to the central challenge of reliably making pharmacologically active antibodies against GPCRs. They enable the production of purified, properly folded and functional protein when removed from the
cell membrane for use as an antigen. This presentation provides several examples that provide important validation of this solution, including data from our MorphoSys and AstraZeneca collaborations, demonstrating that StaR antigens preserve biologically
relevant epitopes. This enables the generation of diverse panels of functional antibodies directed to this important target class for use as therapeutics.
11:50 Pathological Autoantibodies to Ion Channels
Angela C. Vincent, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Neuroimmunology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences,
University of Oxford
For many years it was thought that the blood brain barrier prevented antibodies or B cells reaching the brain. Over the last 15 years it has become very clear that they can. The talk will show how many rare but treatable diseases of the nervous system
are associated with autoantibodies to neuronal proteins, and emphasise the importance of testing for binding to extracellular domains on native proteins, or of establishing quicker and cheaper methods for routine testing and searching for new
antibodies.
12:20 Deeper Profiling of Antibodies During High Throughput Antibody Discovery
Niccolo Pengo, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, UCB-Celltech
UCB’s antibody discovery platform allows efficient mining of the natural antibody repertoire to identify novel therapeutic molecules. We will present our efforts to identify such properties earlier in the screening cascade to facilitate isolation
of the rarest B cell clones producing the desired antibody.
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12:35
Protein-Protein Docking with Sequential Coarse-Grained Minimization
Nels Thorsteinson, MSc, Scientific Services Manager, Biologics, Chemical Computing Group
Protein-protein docking is an important tool for predicting affinity, optimizing properties and exploring druggable sites. This work presents a novel protein docking method for predicting protein-protein binding. The output protein poses are shown
to produce high-quality structures. The applicability of the docking program to antibody optimization will also be discussed.
12:50 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch on Your Own
13:20 Session Break
14:00 Dessert Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
14:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Ahuva Nissim, Ph.D., Reader, Molecular Targeting, Biochemical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London
14:35 DIPIC: Di-Iodotyrosinated Peptide Imaging of Cartil
Ngee Han Lim, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford
The insensitive nature of X-ray based imaging techniques precludes the use of antibodies to obtain targeted radiocontrast agent which can serve as imaging biomarkers for diseases such as osteoarthritis. In a generalisable method for other targeting
peptides, the peptide identified by phage display to target the type II collagen present in cartilage was modified to carry out preclinical in vivo DIPIC using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The ease and speed of this modification
should spark a renaissance in the development of contrast agents based on peptides for the widely used CT imaging modality.
15:05 Overview on the Current Antibody Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
David Baker, Ph.D., Professor, Neuroimmonology, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Multiple sclerosis is a putative autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is characterised pathologically by inflammation, demyelination and variable degrees of axonal loss. Numerous immunomodulatory therapies have been licensed,
or are in late stage development, to treat multiple sclerosis including several monoclonal antibodies. Dissecting out the mode of action of the targeted monoclonal antibodies is providing interesting insights into the pathogenesis of MS.
15:35 Targeted-Cytokines for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Mattia Matasci, Ph.D., Head, Cell Line Development, Philochem
Antibody-cytokine fusion proteins (immunocytokines) are being mainly developed for cancer therapy applications. However, certain immuno-modulatory cytokine payloads can also be considered for the treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory
conditions. I will present work of the Philogen group, in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), which has led to the development of potent immunocytokines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
15:50 Targeting Therapeutic and Regenerative Biomedicine Specifically to Arthritic Joints
Ahuva Nissim, Ph.D., Reader, Molecular Targeting, Biochemical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research
Institute, Queen Mary University of London
We developed a panel of human scFv that bind specifically to collagen type II post-translationally modified by oxidants which: binds specifically to arthritic cartilage from patients with RA and OA or from murine models of inflammatory
arthritis and OA, localises and target payload drug in the arthritic joints in a mouse model of arthritis (inflammatory and OA). Our development will have a significant impact on treatment of arthritic conditions.
16:05
F-star: Advancing Novel Bispecific Antibody Biologics using the iQue Screener Platform
Frederick Akele, Senior Research Associate, F-star Biotechnology Ltd
F-star develops novel bispecific antibodies (called mAb2) based on a unique modular approach. Using this cutting-edge technology, F-star is building a product pipeline focused on immuno-oncology. This talk will highlight the pivotal role
the iQue Screener played in increasing the screening throughput of Fcab (antigen-binding Fc domain) candidates against several antigens.
16:35 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
17:10 Chairperson’s Remarks
Claire Dobson, Ph.D., Associate Director, Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, MedImmune
Ltd.
17:15 CDR-Restricted Engineering beyond Affinity Maturation
Orla Cunningham, Ph.D., Director GBT, Pfizer
CDR mutagenesis has been used successfully for many years across multiple display platforms for antibody affinity maturation. However, approaches to other aspects of antibody engineering, such as humanization, stability and solubility,
tend to maintain the CDR loops and their interaction with antigen as sacrosanct. This talk will use a number of case studies to demonstrate that CDR-restricted engineering can be used for multi-parameter optimization with the benefit
of maintaining 100% germline framework content.
17:45 Nanobodies as a Versatile and Clinically Validated Drug Platform
Antonin de Fougerolles, Ph.D., CSO, Ablynx
An outline of the Nanobody®platform and clinical experience will be presented. The flexibility of Nanobody formatting is used to create differentiated drugs, and examples of mono-specific and multi-specific Nanobody drugs will be shared.
18:15 Toward Single Cell Proteome Analysis Using Phage Display of Recombinant Antibodies
Peter Kristensen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Molecular Engineering, Aarhus University
In recent years the importance of cellular heterogeneity has become increasingly clear. In developing therapies for important diseases, such as cancer, the ability to isolate and characterize rare cell populations will be important.
We have advanced the phage display technology, thus allowing the isolation of specific antibodies binding to one or few identified cells in a heterogeneous mixture such as blood or a tissue section.
18:45 End of Display Of Antibodies
Day 1 | Day 2 | Speaker Biographies | Download Brochure