Drug Discovery Antibody Platform Unit generates monoclonal antibodies against target molecules for treatment of diseases by rapid screening technology and contribute to clinical application.
Antibodies protect us from pathogens and harmful materials (antigens). Antibodies specifically bind to the antigens and eliminate them.
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Monoclonal antibodies for clinical use mostly act by recruiting antigen-bound antibodies to effector cells and mediate cell death by ① antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), ② complement-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (CDC), ③ direct induction, or ④ regulating cellular activation through binding to the signaling molecules on the cell surface or within the membrane. Furthermore, particularly for tumor therapy, antibody drug conjugates are used for delivering antibiotics or radioisotopes to the target tissues by direct binding of drugs to antibodies. Antibody-drug conjugates are, therefore, special drugs with high efficacy owing to high specificity of molecular targeting.
Since obtaining antibodies against specific determinants of human antigens is often difficult due to the high homology between humans and rodents, using mice as recipients deficient in the target protein is suitable. Indeed, we have succeeded several times in producing specific monoclonal antibodies by this approach.
Isolating mature B cells producing specific antibodies with high-affinity in vivo, hybridomas are produced by electrofusion, and specific antibody-producing clones are established by screening using digitized procedure.
Presently, we are working to develop monoclonal antibodies with inhibitory/blocking function against infection by hepatitis virus and SARS–CoV2, neuroimmune diseases, and cancer. These established antibodies are further modified by introducing mutations for superior function, or humanized antibodies are produced for clinical application.
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Established monoclonal antibodies are further developed by genetic engineering for improved function and to produce humanized antibodies. These antibodies are developed as safe and highly efficient therapeutic molecules for clinical application. These antibodies can be utilized to develop CAR-T cell therapy. In addition to refractory cancer and infectious and autoimmune diseases, we aim to develop antibodies to treat lifestyle-related diseases and aging.
The business development office handles alliances for collaboration with companies, universities, and external research institutes. It is also involved in licensing intellectual property rights to companies in collaboration with RIKEN Innovation.
Mission of Translational Research Office (TRO), the competent team which consists of number of experts of translational research (TR) from industry, academic TR institutes, regulatory organizations, is to support projects establishing clinical development plan.
