To be the leader in antibody research, Affimed has assembled one of the industry's most powerful research engines as a formidable resource for in-house antibody discovery. The core of this technology comprises three distinct antibody libraries that can be screened using phage display to identify antibodies to address even the most difficult of targets. Affimed's three libraries are:
- a naïve library derived from the immune system's antibody gene repertoire,
- a fully synthetic library of human antibodies, and
- a semi-synthetic library of human antibodies combining aspects of both naïve and synthetic antibody libraries.
The use of all three antibody libraries ensures a high diversity of potential leads and by extension, a higher probability of isolating very specific human antibodies against any target. The power of this library-based research engine significantly increases the likelihood of isolating commercially relevant antibodies. This means that Affimed is unique in being able to tackle targets that would traditionally have remained extremely difficult for the established methods commonly used by antibody companies. The quality of Affimed's libraries and its screening expertise have been validated over a number of years through programs for partners and for in house discovery, in particular the isolation of antibodies targeting complex cell surface molecules that were thought to be too difficult using traditional methods.
Novel antibody formats – TandAb™ technology
Traditionally, fully human IgG antibodies (while ideal for some targets), lack the versatility to address some others for a variety of reasons including size. Affimed has therefore developed an array of proprietary antibody formats including IgG antibodies, Fabs, Diabodies, Flexibodies and TandAbs. TandAbs in particular have proved to be particularly well suited in targeting tumor cells. These unique tetravalent antibodies have been combined with Affimed's proprietary technology for the recruitment of cytotoxic immune cells, to generate a number of highly potent reagents for top cancer indications. Affimed's TandAb for recruiting and activating T cells to treat Non-Hodgkin-Lymphoma has demonstrated significant potency in in vivo and in vitro preclinical studies.