Affimed validates antibody target for cancer metastasis

Heidelberg, Germany — May 13, 2008 — Affimed Therapeutics AG, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of antibody therapeutics, announced today that a collaboration with Dr. Stefan Weiss at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich has strongly validated a target for cancer metastases amenable to the development of antibodies or other therapeutic interventions. The target, 37 kDa/67 kDa laminin receptor precursor and/ or its receptor, is overexpressed in cancer cell lines and their metastatic potential correlates with LRP/LR levels. Affimed was able to demonstrate that an antibody targeting this receptor could reduce invasive potential by up to 40% and adhesion by up to 70%. This study was published on May 2nd in the Journal of Molecular Biology*.

LRP/LR acts as a receptor for prions and viruses, but has also been shown to be overexpressed in metastatic cancer tissue. In the present study, it was challenged in a metastatic cancer cell line with a variety of therapeutic strategies including single chain and full IgG antibodies, siRNAs and small molecules (polysulfated glycanes).The effects on the invasive and adhesive properties of the cells were examined using in vitro models of cell migration. Invasion and adhesion are the processes by which cancer cells metastasize and spread to multiple other regions of the body. The single chain and full length antibodies were able to reduce invasion by 30% and 40%, respectively, and adhesion by 60% and 70%, respectively.

Prof. Melvyn Little, CSO of Affimed commented: “Our data suggest that reagents directed against LRP/LR, in particular antibodies, might be potential cancer therapeutics blocking metastases. Once again we have been able to demonstrate Affimed’s competence in generating new, fully human antibodies against innovative targets.”

Further data concerning this collaboration has also been accepted for publication later this year in the Journal of General Virology. Affimed has a pipeline of preclinical cancer antibodies, poised to enter the clinic, and a number of other early stage projects including this.

* Zuber, C., Knackmuss, S., Zemora , G., Reusch, U., Vlasova, E., Diehl, D., Mick , V., Hofmann, K., Nikles, D., Fröhlich, T., Arnold, G., Brenig, B., Wolf, E., Lahm, H., Little, M., & Weiss, S. (2008) Invasion of tumorigenic HT1080 cells is impeded by blocking or downregulating the 37 kDa/67 kDa laminin receptor. Journal of Molecular Biology,Volume 378, Issue 3, 2 May 2008, Pages 530-539

About Affimed Therapeutics AG

Affimed Therapeutics AG is a therapeutic antibody company developing unique antibody therapeutics as novel treatments for life threatening diseases with high unmet medical need. The company has been generating a growing pipeline of anticancer drug candidates based on its proprietary TandAb technology platform. Affimed’s lead product candidate AFM13 for the treatment of Hodgkin’s disease has successfully completed preclinical development and will enter clinical studies in early 2010. Both AFM11 and AFM12 to treat Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are currently in preclinical development and are expected to begin clinical studies in late 2010. Further novel product candidates are being developed for the treatment of solid tumors, autoimmune diseases and asthma. Affimed’s proprietary and highly productive TandAb technology enables the company to generate unique tetravalent, bispecific, fully human antibody formats that promise increased therapeutic potential and superior profiles compared to monoclonal antibodies. The private company Affimed, which employs 26 people in Heidelberg, is a spin-off from the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg.