Vaccines & Immunology

Biography:

Dr. Geert C. Mudde received a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Utrecht in 1985 and started his international professional career at the Swiss Institute for Asthma and Allergy Research in Davos in 1989. In 1992 he joined the pharmaceutical/biotech industry, where he held several senior management positions at the Novartis Research Institute in Vienna, Austria, the Parke Davis Research Institute in Fresnes, France, Ingenium Pharmaceuticals, Martinsried, Germany, and at igeneon AG, Vienna, Austria. Finally, in 2006, while joining Baxter BioScience in Vienna as interim manager, Dr. Mudde co-founded the biotech company f-star Biotechnology, where he served as “Chief Scientific Officer” from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, together with Christof Langer, he started to develop the S-TIR™ technology platform for human specific therapeutic vaccines which led to the foundation of S-TARget therapeutics GmbH in 2010. Since then he serves as CSO and managing director for S-TARget therapeutics as well as for the S-TIR™ technology spin-off companies OncoQR ML GmbH and TYG oncology Ltd., which were both founded in 2013.

Abstract:

Using the S-TIR™ technology platform for human specific therapeutic vaccines OncoQR ML has developed two prototype vaccines for treatment of pancreatic cancer (TYG100) and breast cancer (OQR200). Vaccines derived from this platform consist of 2 modules, the disease specific module, “immunogen” and the generic module, “warhead”, which directs the vaccines to CD32 on antigen presenting cells, especially pDCs and B cells. The immunogen in oncology is a tumour associated auto-antigen, against which under normal conditions no clinically relevant immune responses can be induced. We will present conclusive proof that it is finally possible to overcome all the tricks of cancer cells to prevent therapeutic immune responses. No more need for bulk infusion of very expensive and artificial monoclonal antibodies, which either try to mimic tumour specific B cell responses (e.g. Herceptin and Perjeta) OR try to activate cytotoxic T cells, that by chance may also kill tumours (e.g. Opdivo, Yervoy, Keytruda). S-TIR™ vaccines fully activate both arms of the patient’s own immune system resulting in tumour specific polyclonal IgG responses simultaneously with the generation and activation of tumour specific cytotoxic T cells. The responses are reversible and boostable, thus allowing fine-tuning of the clinical responses on a patient to patient basis. S-TIR™ vaccines in contrast to the current checkpoint inhibitors do not induce autoimmune disease and are tumours specific

Biography:

Mario Rodriguez has his expertise in Virology and Bioprocess Development. Working with recombinants and their aplications against viral diseases as Influenza, Ebola and members of the Polyomaviride family like the newly discovered MCPyV. Scientist and Innovation manager with expertise in prototype technology projects that results in commercial technology (i.e. High fidelity DNA polymerase under commercialization, vaccines and Mononoclonal antibodies, licensed), advisor of technological companies in USA and Mexico. He is part in Mexico from SNI (National Researchers System) from CONACYT.

Abstract:

Currently, production of vaccines and diagnostic systems for infectious diseases have failed to provide a systematic vision that merges state-of-the-art technologies with industry to provide an effective commercial solution. Infectious and rapidly transmitted diseases, such as Cancer, Ebola and Influenza, should be a focus of interest for these prospects.

While technological advances of recent years have been revolutionizing the life sciences industry, specifically in the biopharma field, these advances have been disproportional in terms of their applications towards infectious diseases.

Working on the development of recombinant technology is needed for the production of chimeric proteins using mammalian, yeast, and bacterial cells modified for those purposes. Proteins developed through a process of molecular engineering, which begins with in silico bioinformatic processes, using validations and algorithms, subsequently through synthetic biology, molecular biology, genetic engineering, and BioProcess development. The aim being, the scaling efforts towards pilot plant levels. The primary goal of these proteins is the development of integrated solutions that can be used as antigens or antibodies in diagnostic systems, as well treatments and vaccines.

The main challenge is in the final application that results in the free exposure of epitopes for recognition between the antibody and the antigen of interest, which implies their effectiveness in terms of use. A secondary challenge is productivity rates in bio-production systems, which vary greatly depending on the platform used and the quality of the bioprocess developed.

The recombinant proteins HA-RBD, tAg, ScFv-13F6, ScFv-13C6 and FAb-KZ52 were designed, developed, expressed and characterized by the integral use of molecular engineering and bioprocess engineering. The expressed proteins showed biological antibodies (HA-RBD and tAg) and antigen (ScFv-13F6 and ScFv-13C6) recognition, recognizing specific epitopes. Significantly tAg production occurred with a yield of 50 mg L-1 and HA-RBD protein was produced in 120 mg L-1.