Next generation of tailor-made protein biologics

The therapeutic efficacy of protein-based drug candidates is often hampered by short blood persistence, which is the main reason why they fail in animal models and humans. Thus, there is an unmet need for design that enables improved persistence, availability and distribution of protein-based drugs. To engineer the next generation of such drugs, we will take advantage of biological principles that naturally are regulating the persistence of long-lived antibodies and albumin. Our research group is in the international forefront of studies such biology, and we aim to expand our understanding and use the knowledge to engineer novel drug formats with improved binding and transport properties. This will be done by combining unique biochemical and cellular assays with studies in new state-of-the-art humanized transgenic mice, where different drug delivery strategies will be explored. The project will translate cutting-edge groundbreaking research into new medical procedures.

The therapeutic efficacy of peptide and protein drug candidates is often hampered by short serum half-life, which is the main reason why they fail in vivo. Thus, there is an unmet need for intelligent design that enables improved serum persistence, availability and distribution of protein-based drugs. To engineer the next generation of such drugs, we will learn by nature and take advantage of the 3-week long serum half-life of human albumin. The long half-life is a result of its interaction with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), which is broadly expressed in cell types and tissues where it mediates recycling or transcytosis of albumin. Our research group is in the international forefront of studies on FcRn-albumin biology, and we presently aim to expand our molecular and cellular understanding of the FcRn-albumin relationship. Furthermore, we will use the new knowledge to engineer novel human albumin-based drug formats with tailored FcRn binding and transport properties. This will be done by combining unique biochemical and cellular assays with in vivo studies in new state-of-the-art humanized transgenic mice, where both invasive and non-invasive drug delivery strategies will be explored. The project will translate cutting-edge groundbreaking research into new medical procedures.