GenScript ProBio Screens anti-2019 nCoV Antibodies in Just 24 Hours

NANJING, China, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 4, 4:46 a.m., escorted by public security officers, 8 transgenic mice for fully human antibodies immunized with antigen from 2019 nCoV from Rongchang District, Chongqing were brought by Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences and Chongqing CAMAB Biotech Ltd. to Nanjing. These "anti-2019 nCoV" mice are provided to GenScript Biologics Development Business Unit (now known as GenScript ProBio) for emergency antibody drug screening in response to 2019 nCoV pneumonia.

In 12 hours, GenScript ProBio successfully screened specific antibodies that recognize viral proteins and potentially block binding of virus to cellular receptors. In less than 24 hours, using the Beacon single-cell platform, GenScript ProBio completed immunized mice processing, immune cell isolation and enrichment, single cell sorting, on-chip binding and blocking screening, which usually takes three months using the traditional hybridoma antibody screening. This contributes to the breakthrough in anti-2019 nCoV antibody screening. GenScript is China's first CDMO company that applies the world's leading digital Beacon Platform in antibody discovery services.

In fact, as early as January 23 before the rapid outbreak, Discovery Department Head of GenScript ProBio, initiated the collaboration for an emergency screening project against 2019 nCoV together with Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences and Chongqing CAMAB Biotech Ltd. The project team discussed the protocol details from antigen immunization to anti-2019 nCoV antibody characterization. For such emergency antibody drug project, the core lies in rapid antibody generation. This involves seamless integration of screening, sequencing and vector synthesis and further development to fight the 2019 nCoV outbreak. We finally worked out the optimal solution of rapid immunization coupled with GenScript ProBio Beacon single-cell platform screening and had multiple alternatives.

Dr. Brian Min, CEO of GenScript ProBio, said: "Our mission is to accelerate drug development through innovation and collaboration. I am confident that we will defeat the virus by working diligently together with our customers."

After successful antibody sequence screening, the team will work on expression of those antibody genes, and will perform further virus blocking and neutralization tests for the expressed antibodies. These Emergency antibodies after validation are expected to be put into mass production in GenScript ProBio to fight 2019 nCoV.

About GenScript ProBio:

GenScript ProBio is the CDMO segment of the world's leading biotech company GenScript, providing a one-stop biological drug research and development platform. GenScript ProBio's one-stop antibody drug development solutions include antibody drug discovery (hybridoma, phage display, full human and bispecific antibodies technologies), antibody engineering (antibody humanization, evaluation and optimization of drug compounds and affinity maturation) and other services. GenScript ProBio's total cell therapy solution covers IND preparation as well as clinical sample and commercial production. Process development controls ensure compliance, data integrity ensures traceability, and all test deviations are strictly studied and documented. With the principle of "providing the best-in-class quality to and serving for the interests of customers", GenScript ProBio is committed to helping customers shorten the timeline for biological drugs from development to clinical use, significantly cutting the R&D costs, accelerating the commercialization of medicines, and building a healthy future while making contributions to the development of the pharmaceutical industry under the Made in China 2025 plan.

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SOURCE GenScript Biotech Corporation