Absolute Antibody announce licensing of 45 monoclonal antibodies from the Medical Research Council for recombinant manufacture

24th October 2016

Absolute Antibody and the Medical Research Council (MRC) have finalized a license agreement covering 45 antibody clones. Over the coming year Absolute Antibody will be sequencing these clones and generating recombinant versions of the original as well as new engineered variants. Many of these antibodies are against leukocyte surface proteins and will benefit from the technological possibilities of recombinant production – such species switching, isotype switching and the company’s own Fc Silent™ format.

“This is a significant step for us”, says Nick Hutchings, CEO of Absolute Antibody, “It gives us access to some fantastic reagents and shows that more and more people and institutions understand what we are trying to do and what value this has to the scientific community. “

Professor Neil Barclay, Chairman of Absolute Antibody, in whose laboratory at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology many of these antibodies were generated, comments “Monoclonal antibodies were developed by MRC scientists in the mid 1970’s so I am delighted to see the MRC taking a lead in their continued development.  It is important that these reagents, many of which were made over 30 years ago, are preserved for posterity. By making recombinant antibodies we will not only preserve the antibodies against accidental loss but we can improve them by defining them chemically and making them amenable to improvement through engineering.”

The first 20 antibodies have completed sequencing and amongst others include the anti-CD134 clone OX40 as well as the clones OX2, OX90 and OX104 with specificity for rat, mouse and human CD200, respectively.

Other members of this collection include the anti-mouse OX40L (CD252) and 2B4 (CD244), which promise to be exciting additions to the ever-growing catalogue or recombinant antibodies on offer.

To find out more or discuss any research projects involving recombinant formats of these antibodies, please contact support@absoluteantibody.com.

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