OMT announces new human antibody platform using genetically engineered rats expressing human antibodies

Dec 9 2010

Open Monoclonal Technology, Inc. (OMT) today announced its new human antibody platform using the first genetically engineered rats expressing a human antibody repertoire. The company, which also created the first targeted knockout rats in 2009, is now cross-breeding the knockout animals with the rats expressing human antibodies to finalize its platform.

“Expression of a human antibody repertoire in genetically engineered animals requires two steps: the inactivation of endogenous rat antibody expression and the introduction of functional immunoglobulin loci enabling generation of a diversified human antibody repertoire. With these milestones behind us, OMT can begin developing antibody therapeutics.”

"Creating rats expressing human antibodies was the final milestone in the development of OMT's platform," said founder and CEO Dr. Roland Buelow, at the IBC Annual Antibody Engineering Conference in San Diego. "Expression of a human antibody repertoire in genetically engineered animals requires two steps: the inactivation of endogenous rat antibody expression and the introduction of functional immunoglobulin loci enabling generation of a diversified human antibody repertoire. With these milestones behind us, OMT can begin developing antibody therapeutics."

OMT, in collaboration with Marianne Bruggemann and scientists at Recombinant Antibody Technology, Ltd., used artificial chromosome technology to generate immunoglobulin loci encoding human antibodies. These recombinant gene loci were introduced into the rat genome using traditional transgenesis technology. Although human antibodies have been expressed in mice and cows, OMT had to develop new technologies to work with the rat. OMT's new platform is the result of an improved understanding of B-cell development and a novel approach to the inactivation of endogenous antibody expression.

Up to now, the mouse was the only genetically engineered animal commercially available for the generation of human monoclonal antibodies, and many targets are licensed already. In contrast, OMT has broad freedom to operate. It uses new technology protected by patents, which gives OMT unrestricted development options.