Main Conference Day 2 - PT (Pacific Time, GMT-08:00)
- Janine Schuurman, Ph.D. - Biotech Consultant, Lust for Life Science
- James Ernst, Ph.D. - Vice President, Development Sciences; Head of Protein Sciences & Technology, Xencor
Gyes Bv is a science-driven biotech start-up committed to exploring new frontiers in antibody therapeutics. We developed the Multispecific Antibody Platform, which we use to discover and develop precision multifunctional antibodies that build on novel insights in avidity engineering. Here I will discuss our progress in designing antibodies that become conditionally active upon binding to combinations of targets co-expressed on select cell populations.
- Paul Parren, PhD - Founder and CSO, Gyes BV
Despite advances in cancer therapeutics, new protein targets and targeting approaches for drug development are needed. We developed a high-resolution proximity labeling technology using photocatalyst-generated reactive probes to label discrete cell surface protein microenvironments. Utilizing our platform to identify proteins inherently proximal to EGFR, we identified CDCP1. This led to the development of IDP-001, a novel bispecific ADC targeting EGFR and CDCP1. Identification and characterization of IDP-001 will be presented.
- Pamela Holland, PhD - Senior Vice President, Biology, InduPro
Despite the curative potential of cancer immunotherapy, most patients do not benefit from existing treatments. Glyco-immune checkpoints – interactions of cancer glycans with inhibitory glycan-binding receptors called lectins – have emerged as prominent mechanisms of resistance to molecular and cellular immunotherapies. I will describe development of antibody-lectin chimeras: a biologic framework for glyco-immune checkpoint blockade that is now moving toward the clinic.
- Jessica Stark, PhD - Assistant Professor of Biological Engineering, MIT
- Sally Ward, PhD - Professor and Director, University of Southampton
- Karen Silence, PhD - Head Preclinical Product Development, Argenx
We have commenced efforts to engineer knottins and cyclins as general-purpose binders for a variety of applications where their rugged durability would be enabling (e.g. oral delivery, cytoplasmic delivery, radioligand therapy). Occupying a parameter space intermediate between antibodies and small molecule drugs, these molecules present new challenges and opportunities for protein engineering.
- Karl Dane Wittrup, Ph.D. - C.P. Dubbs Professor in Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
We have discovered and characterized the first-ever Nanobodies that act as positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of clinically relevant inhibitory immune checkpoint complexes (ICCs) that enhance receptor signaling with pathway-specific and spatio-temporal precision. Such ICC PAMs open up novel therapeutic modes of intervention that ensure patient safety, even in cases of overdose, and may outperform current inhibitor-based immunotherapies, which often cause significant side effects.
- Jan Steyaert, PhD - Scientific Director, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & VIB
Immunogenicity is a major challenge in biologic drug development, compromising efficacy and safety. Our ADAx platform selectively suppresses B cell activation against therapeutics while preserving normal immune function and drug activity. It enables strong ADA suppression and improved pharmacokinetics in vivo, offering a versatile solution across protein and antibody formats.
- Sandra DePorter, PhD - Senior Director, Discovery Biology, Adaxion Therapeutics
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which ingestion of gluten damages the small intestine in genetically predisposed patients carrying HLA-DQ2.5 haplotype. DONQ52 is a novel neutralizing antibody that exhibits broad cross-reactivity against multiple gluten peptide/HLA-DQ2.5 complexes. In this presentation, we will present the identification of the lead antibody, its multidimensional optimization process, and the key characteristics of DONQ52.
- Yuri Teranishi-Ikawa - Principal Scientist, Chugai Pharmabody Research Pte. Ltd.
- Greg Lazar, Ph.D. - Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dualitas Therapeutics
Oral delivery of antibodies directly to intestinal tissue would allow IBD treatment without systemic exposure or injections. Sorriso VHH single domain antibodies are engineered for stability among intestinal and inflammatory proteases, enabling oral dosing. SOR102 is an anti-TNF/IL-23p19 bi-specific formulated into room-temperature stable enteric-coated mini-tablets. On exposure to intestinal trypsin, the SOR102 trypsin-labile central linker is cleaved, liberating each monomer for intestinal tissue entry. SOR102 was evaluated in healthy volunteers and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients in a Phase 1 first-in-human study (NCT06080048). SOR102 was safe and well tolerated with minimal systemic exposure. However, consistent micromolar levels of active monomers were detected in UC patient feces and monomers were measured in UC colonic tissues. In the SOR102 BID arm, there was a strong alignment between UC clinical activity, tissue [drug], and pharmacodynamic outcomes. Thus, SOR102 delivered local TNFa/IL-23 inhibition within the inflamed GI tissue of UC patients, while limiting systemic exposure.
Melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R), a class A GPCR, suppresses appetite upon activation, but current peptide agonists lack receptor selectivity. Using Confo technology, we stabilized active-state MC4R with a conformation-selective ConfoBody to discover potent, MC4R-specific VHH agonists. We identified the most potent VHH and resolved its structure bound to the orthosteric pocket. This highly specific VHH offers a promising candidate for selective anti-obesity therapy via MC4R activation.
- Francis Santens, PhD - Principal Scientist Molecular Engineering, Confo Therapeutics
This presentation will explore how Adimab has revolutionized antibody discovery, growing from an innovative startup into a leading platform technology company. We will examine key technological breakthroughs in our platform, focusing on synthetic antibody library evolution, advances in multispecific generation, and novel approaches to developability optimization. Join us to learn how Adimab's engineering-driven approach is shaping the future of therapeutics.
- Aaron Sato, PhD - Chief Strategy Officer, Adimab
Each antibody format introduces unique structural and functional variables that can significantly alter Fc effector activity. Assessing therapeutic antibodies on SeromYx’s high-throughput, GCLP-accredited Fc effector function platform enables empirical and format-agnostic profiling of developmental candidates. Our platform has helped uncover critical, early insights into the therapeutic activity and safety of diverse antibody formats, guiding development with data-driven decisions.
- Shashi Jatiani, PhD - Director of Research, SeromYx Systems
neoSwitchTM is a yeast strain engineered to toggle between display for antibody library screening and secretion for 5-100 mg/mL VHH/ScFv production. By combining 10⁹-member synthetic or semi-synthetic libraries with turnkey Opentrons FlexTM automation and the Goldilocks LibrariesTM affinity-maturation workflow, it is possible to isolate monomeric VHHs with picomolar binding affinities in weeks.
- Gregory Brittingham, PhD - Director of Product, Neochromosome
Trispecific antibodies (tsAbs) can bind three distinct targets, enabling next-generation approaches in areas like cancer therapy. By engaging multiple tumor-associated antigens, tsAbs can increase tumor specificity, limit antigen escape, and enhance immunostimulatory effects compared to bispecific or monospecific antibodies. We present data on the T-body, a Fab-based, IgG-like trispecific antibody platform with high expression, efficient assembly and good developability characteristics, which accelerates and de-risks development of innovative immunotherapies.
- Nicholas Marshall, PhD - Head of Protein Sciences, Invenra
- Jenna Guthmiller, PhD - Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
- Laura Walker, PhD - Head of Infectious Disease Biotherapeutics Discovery, Moderna
Monoclonal antibodies have recently been shown to prevent malaria in clinical trials in endemic regions, but challenges remain regarding antibody cost, potency, and specificity. Here, we describe the discovery of next-generation antibodies that target the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, as part of efforts to develop new anti-malarial vaccines and prophylactics.
- Joshua Tan, PhD - Senior Investigator and Chief of the Antibody Biology Unit, NIAID, NIH
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes a substantial respiratory disease burden in older adults. Three vaccines, each based on a prefusion-stabilized RSV F antigen, have now been licensed. Here, we delineate the humoral response elicited by Moderna’s RSV mRNA vaccine, characterizing antibody responses at both the polyclonal serum and single-B-cell levels.
- Carole Henry, PhD - Director of Immunology in Infectious Disease Research, Moderna
- Cristina Bonorino, PhD - Full Professor, UFCSPA
- Jo Viney, PhD - Co-Founder and CEO, Seismic Therapeutic
- John Desjarlais, PhD - Chief Scientific Officer, Xencor, Inc.
The precise depletion of immune cells is a key therapeutic strategy for a wide variety of autoimmune diseases. Recently, T cell engagers have been used to redirect T cell cytotoxicity for highly effective depletion of B cells in patients with refractory autoimmune diseases. In this lecture, I cover the development history of T cell engagers, emerging data in patients with autoimmune disease and theoretical and practical considerations for their design and use. Finally, I review emerging approaches for cell depletion and emerging targets.
- Ricardo Grieshaber-Bouyer, MHBA - Professor of Clinical Systems Immunology, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
- Jennifer Towne, PhD - Vice President Immunology Discovery and External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson
This presentation will cover the discovery and engineering of XmAb942, a potential best in class high-affinity anti-TL1A monoclonal antibody with extended half-life, and a first-in-class bispecific antibody targeting TL1A and IL-23p19. Both candidates are designed for therapeutic use in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.
- Kendra Avery, PhD - Director, Protein Sciences & Technology, Xencor
TfR1 shuttles show promise for CNS therapeutics, but toxicities remain limiting. We introduce a high-throughput in vivo screening method to engineer novel brain shuttles. Powered by AI and Manifold's protein barcoding technology, our approach reveals novel shuttle targets and shuttles with enhanced tissue selectivity, reduced toxicity profiles, and optimized biodistribution.
- Karen Duffy, PhD - Principal Scientist, Manifold Bio
Immune organoids model key features of human adaptive immunity, including antigen-specific antibody responses. Immune organoids are derived from lymphoid tissues and recapitulate the diversity of human immune responses. This talk will discuss the utility of the organoid model for investigating host and antigen format factors that influence the magnitude and quality of the antibody response.
- Erika Joloya - Ph.D. Candidate, Laboratory of Lisa Wagar, University of California, Irvine
Maxion have shown that small cysteine-rich peptides (“knottins”) with ion-channel modulating activity can be inserted into antibody CDR loops while retaining their function. The resulting “KnotBody molecules modulate ion channel activity while benefitting from the optimal drug-like properties of antibodies. This presentation will illustrate the generation and optimisation of KnotBody inhibitors of Kv1.3, an important ion channel affecting function of T effector memory cells.
- John McCafferty, PhD - Chief Technology Officer, Maxion Therapeutics
We present discovery of a novel IgE cleaving protease engineered using our proprietary machine learning enabled IMPACT platform to obtain desired target specificity, potent cleavage, and efficacy in preclinical models with favorable manufacturability properties, low immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. IgE cleavers offer a new potential targeted therapy for allergic and atopic diseases.
- Purvi Mande, PhD - Principal Scientist, Seismic Therapeutic
Therapeutics in inflammatory indications often are limited in their efficacy. Blockade of multiple pathways by targeting multiple cytokines with a single agent is a way to enhance efficacy and benefit to patients. We describe the engineering of trispecific antibodies with high-affinity neutralization of three cytokines simultaneously. Design factors to be discussed include domain arrangement, strategies for driving correct chain pairing, and optimization for expression, stability and developability.
- Fang Jin - Principal Scientist, BioMedicine Design, Pfizer