Rational engineering of antibody binding kinetics

Therapeutic antibodies – drugs made from defence molecules produced by the body – are becoming increasingly important in treatment of diseases ranging from cancer to hepatitis. These drugs work by binding to the molecules they target called antigens. In order to be effective, an antibody must bind its antigen tightly and this depends in part on how fast it binds the antigen. For example, it has been shown in a set of antibodies against malaria that the ability of antibodies to neutralise the pathogen is highly dependent on the binding rate. Using both computational tools and experiments that characterise the physical properties of antibodies, we aim to identify factors that contribute to the rate of binding. Next, this knowledge will be added to generate software to predict changes that can be introduced to an antibody to increase its binding rate. As a way to validate the conclusions, the plan is to improve antibodies against malaria. These studies will provide us with insight into the factors that make good therapeutic antibodies and also provide a tool for use by the wider scientific community.

Enabling Technologies & Assays
Immunology

Oct 2020 — Dec 2023

United Kingdom