Antitope and Keel Pharmaceuticals (Boston, MA) announce successful Composite Human Antibody project
28 February 2008 Antitope Ltd (Cambridge, UK), a leader in the generation of therapeutic humanized antibodies, and Keel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, MA), an emerging leader in the development of therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune disease, today announced the successful completion of their collaboration. The project involved the humanization of a therapeutic antibody that targets signaling in lymphocytes that cause autoimmune disease. For the collaboration, Antitope employed its Composite Human AntibodyTM technology to humanize the lead mouse monoclonal antibody identified by Keel.
"We are delighted to be working with such an innovative and progressive company as Keel Pharmaceuticals," said Matthew Baker Ph.D, Chief Executive Officer of Antitope Limited. "Our collaboration with Keel Pharmaceuticals is another demonstration of the successful use of Composite Human AntibodyTM technology."
"Our goal has always been to find partners who can accelerate our research and discovery process. By collaborating with Antitope, we have been able to identify a panel of humanized antibody candidates from which we can select a lead. We are very pleased with Antitope's performance," said Richard Hoffman, President and CEO, Keel Pharmaceuticals.
About Antitope
Antitope Ltd. is a privately-held Cambridge UK-based biotechnology company specializing in immunogenicity testing and the engineering of therapeutic antibodies/proteins with reduced immunogenicity. Antitope's proprietary Composite Human AntibodyTM technology builds upon the previous pioneering work of its founders in the detection and removal of T cell epitopes in antibodies/proteins through humanization and DeImmunisation technologies. Antitope is a privately-held company and has established multiple commercial relationships with leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. For further information on Antitope visit http://www.antitope.co.uk/.
About Keel
Keel is an emerging biopharmaceutical company that is developing new therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, Grave's Disease, lupus and scleroderma. The company's technology is based on the identification of specific defects in protein processing and signaling present in autoreactive T cells. Keel is creating a proprietary approach to the treatment of autoimmunity based on selective destruction of lymphocytes responsible for autoimmune diseases. The company believes that its approach offers a promising opportunity to revolutionize the treatment of autoimmune diseases without the immunosuppressive toxicities of currently available therapies. Keel is based in Cambridge, MA. More information is available at http://www.keelpharmaceuticals.com/.
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