IN CELL ART's ICAntibodies is a fully integrated process for antigen design, nanocarriers/DNA formulation and genetic immunisation in mice, rats and rabbits. With the generation of a 60th antibody using its genetic immunisation technology, IN CELL ART has achieved an important technological milestone and is now able to produce novel functional antibodies against membrane targets, as well as intracellular or secreted antigens.  Currently, IN CELL ART is scaling up its production capacity in order to accelerate the discovery, screening and development of its partners' new therapeutic or diagnostic antibodies. 

In the absence of recombinant protein, IN CELL ART's patented formulation technologies allow for the production - starting from protein accession number - of functional antibodies against any natively expressed antigen.

Chloé Bellocq, CEO, and Bruno Pitard, scientific adviser and co-founder of IN-CELL ART, say, "Our breakthrough proprietary technology for DNA formulation and antibody production (polyclonal and monoclonal) is meeting with great success. We are pleased and honoured that an increasing number of scientists are using our innovative technology, which allows projects to start from antigenic in silico sequence, and no longer requires peptide or protein production for immunisation. Our partnership with OMT (Open Monoclonal Technology) aims to produce fully human antibodies, which will validate ICAntibodies technology in OMT's proprietary humanised rats."

Roland Buelow, OMT's CEO, says, "Our initial tests of IN CELL ART's DNA immunisation technology were encouraging, and we are pleased to take this next step and begin a collaboration [programme].  Clearly DNA immunisation will make it easier to generate monoclonals specific for proteins that are difficult to purify."

About IN-CELL-ART

IN CELL ART, which is headquartered in Nantes (in western France), is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the preclinical and pharmaceutical development of nanocarriers for macromolecular drugs. The company's founder and research team, which includes a Nobel Laureate, have designed new classes of vectors that are organised on a nanometric scale, which enables them to cross the cell barrier efficiently and safely. IN CELL ART offers a range of biotechnology development services.

In the absence of recombinant antigen, ICAntibodies technologies allow, from an in silico DNA antigenic sequence, for the production of the most ambitious antibodies against any chosen antigen. ICAntibodies technologies are particularly suitable for high-throughput antibody screening using a multivalent immunisation protocol, leading to the rapid identification of antibodies of therapeutic or diagnostic interest.

IN CELL ART is also pursuing highly promising approaches in the field of DNA-based therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines using its ICA614 nanocarrier - a breakthrough DNA synthetic formulation that presents unique, efficient and industrial characteristics, including a dramatic enhancement of the immunogenicity of plasmid DNA encoding tumour or pathogen-derived antigens, a reduction in the dose of plasmid DNA, and an excellent safety profile.   The ICA614 is currently being used, or being tested, by the major players in vaccines, as it represents an important step towards the development of DNA vaccines. Furthermore, IN-CELL-ART has demonstrated that the ICA614 nanocarrier can increase the immunogenicity of sub-unit vaccines with recombinant proteins.

With ongoing R&D programmes in the fields of oncology, as well as cardiovascular and anti-infectious diseases, IN CELL ART also works closely with companies that are active in the development of RNAi therapeutic products for interference with the expression of targeted disease-associated genes. IN CELL ART grants licences for its nanocarriers. Finally, IN CELL ART is commercialising ICAFectin®441 and ICAFectin®442, which are DNA and siRNA transfection reagents for primary and stem cells.

IN CELL ART is a privately held company, which was founded in 2005. It is a member of the Atlantic Biotherapies high-tech cluster of biotechnology companies in western France. 

For further information, please go to: www.incellart.com

About Open Monoclonal Technology Inc.

Open Monoclonal Technology Inc. (OMT) is a private biotechnology company developing a new, fully human monoclonal antibody platform based on transgenic rats. The rat is a widely used laboratory animal with a well-characterised immune system, a nearly complete genome sequence, and established transgenesis and hybridoma technologies.

OMT's antibody platform is the result of an improved understanding of B-cell development and a novel approach to the inactivation of endogenous antibody expression. The antibody platform is available for all targets, offers broad freedom to operate, and uses technology protected by patents.

For further information, please go to: www.omtinc.net