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2018 Nobel Prizes - The Year of the Antibody

October 4, 2018
Genedata

The 2018 Nobel prize announcements were very inspiring for everyone at Genedata. Two Nobel prizes were awarded for pioneering work now used by biopharma research organizations worldwide in the development of therapies for the most challenging diseases today. These organizations use Genedata software platforms to more rapidly and efficiently develop these novel therapies.

James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo were awarded the 2018 Prize for Physiology or Medicine for landmark studies in cancer immunotherapy, specifically for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation. Each scientist worked on a distinct factor, CTLA-4 and PD-1, and showed that they act as brakes on T cell activity via different mechanisms. Blocking activity using antibody inhibitors unleashes the immune system’s ability to attack cancer full-force. Immune checkpoint therapy, as it is now known, has changed the outcome of patients with conditions previously thought terminal, revolutionizing cancer care.

Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter received the 2018 Prize for Chemistry for using evolutionary principles to generate diverse molecules with a range of therapeutic and industrial uses. Frances H. Arnold developed a technique for directed evolution of enzymes, while George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter developed the phage display of peptides and antibodies. Advancement and applications of the phage display technology have been powerful innovations in the development of antibody-based treatments.

Supporting rapid and efficient development of novel antibodies for cancer immunotherapy has been a long-standing goal of Genedata Biologics®. The platform is first-in-class in its handling of the diverse workflows required in research, development and production of antibodies and other immunotherapeutics, including advanced multi-targeting approaches using bi/multispecifics and combination therapies, as well as cell-based approaches, such as CAR T cells. The platform also provides incomparable support for phage display-based screening workflows and other evolutionary-based approaches that allow rapid generation of promising drug candidates. Genedata enables the swift translation by our biopharma and biotech partners of basic science into efficient industrial applications and helps increase the efficiency and speed of discovering and developing the medicines of tomorrow.

Learn More About Genedata Biologics

Support for the investigation of large panels of multi-specific antibodies and CAR T cells. Two examples highlighting how Genedata Biologics enables deeper investigation using novel antibody platform technologies.