Affimed obtains victory in challenge to key naive IgM-based antibody libraries patent
Heidelberg, Germany (November 24, 2006) Affimed Therapeutics AG announced today that opposition proceedings initiated by Crucell Holland B.V. against European Patent No. 0 440 147 B1 were not successful.
European Patent No. 0 440 147 B1 covers the generation of IgM-based libraries from non-activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes. This patent was exclusively licensed to Affimed by Dade Behring Marburg GmbH, Germany. On October 31st, 2006, the competent Opposition Division of the European Patent Office ruled that the libraries and the methods of making them as claimed in this European Patent met all the requirements of the European Patent Convention. Prof. Little, CSO of Affimed, commented »We are very happy with this decision, since the technology provides us with a unique ability to fully exploit this widest and most diverse class of antibody gene repertoire for generating human antibody libraries«.
This decision strengthens Affimed's position in the field of antibody libraries considerably, since the IgM repertoire appears to offer the most diversity. Using this technology, Affimed has been able to isolate high affinity antibodies against very difficult targets.
About Affimed Therapeutics AG
Affimed is a private biopharmaceutical company based in Heidelberg, Germany and specialising in the development of recombinant antibodies - the fastest growing segment of the pharmaceutical industry. Affimed was founded in May of 2000 by Professor Melvyn Little as a spin-off of his group »Recombinant Antibodies« at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg. The strength of Affimed's discovery platform lies in three large distinct antibody libraries that are the source of antibody leads which can be produced in a variety of formats from scFv, diabodies, full length antibodies to proprietary tetravalent formats such as Affimed's TandAb or Flexibody. Affimed's existing pipeline comprises several very novel antibody formats targeting some potentially very high value cancer targets. Two cancer products are in advanced pre-clinical development. To learn more about Affimed, please visit www.affimed.com