Bioengineering Team
The Bioengineering Team is focusing on using state of the art methods to design and test novel therapeutic and diagnostic recombinant proteins (bi-specifics, vaccine products and therapeutic antibodies). We have a long history and strong expertise in protein production, purification, modification and characterization of various products now in clinical trials or on the way to clinical trials. We work in a quality controlled environment and can easily facilitate method transfer for GMP production.
We have a strong focus on facilitating the development of novel treatments and prophylactic vaccine against cancer and infectious diseases.
Diverse research covering:
- Targeting cancer with antibodies binding oncofetal chondroitin sulfate modification. Production and test of a wide range of formats from single chain variable antibody chains to whole IgGs
- Development of antibody drug conjugates targeting cancer. We work with a wide range of toxins including microtubule inhibitors and DNA binding toxins as well as a wide range of cleavable linkers
- Development of Bi-specific Molecules that target Oncofetal Condroitin Sulfate and Engage Immune Cells in Oncology. Here we design and produce bispecific formats from simple bites to whole chain paired IgGs
- Development of the ABNCOV2 COVID19 vaccine based on our Capsid based Virus-Like Particle Vaccines against SARS-COV-2 (VLPVAC team).
- Process development of a VAR2CSA based placental malaria vaccine. Here we are developing assays and process to facilitate production of VAR2CSA for cancer diagnostic uses as well as a second generation VAR2CSA vaccine.
Our main focus is translational bioscience in the space between late preclinical development and clinical testing. We have moved several products to early and late clinical stage testing:
- A VAR2CSA recombinant vaccine expressed in insect cells (phase 1a, 1b)
- A VAR2CSA recombinant vaccine expressed in e. coli and presented on virus like particles (phase 1 in planning)
- A HER2 cancer vaccine presented on a virus like particle in collaboration with Expres2ion Biotechnologies and AdaptVac (phase 1 in planning)
- A SARS-COV-2 prophylactic vaccine where we did phase 1 testing and in collaboration with AdaptVac and Bavarian did phase II and III
- Vartumab for a phase 0 imaging trial in collaboration with TRACERCRO and VAR2pharma (phase 0 to commence 2024)
- Vartumab for a clinical phase 1 as an ADC (preclinical development, and preparations for phase 1)
- VAR2CSA clinical feasibility studies as a cancer diagnostic in collaboration with University Hospital Copenhagen, Køge, Herlev, Hillerød and VARCT Diagnostics
The Bioengineering team is working closely together with other CMP research team in the preclinical development of vaccines and antibody products. In particular the team is an integrated part of the OF-CANCER team and the OF-BIOMARKER team producing and delivering high quality proteins for these programs.
Further the bioengineering team is involved a number of externally funded projects focusing on the design of novel therapeutics including bispecific antibodies, a project funded through the Novo Tandem Program in close collaboration with Center for Surgical Science at Sjællands Universitetshospital.