[EMABling antibodies: from feto-maternal allo-immunisation prophylaxis to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia therapy]

Abstract

The Laboratoire français du fractionnement et des biotechnologies (LFB), the leading manufacturer of plasma-derived medicinal products in France and 6th worldwide, is strongly involved in the development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAb). For more than 15 years, LFB has been focusing its research effort on the study of structure-function relationship of antibodies. Its studies on the molecular basis of IgG interaction with the receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (FcgRs) has made it possible to develop antibodies with high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity and enhanced affinity to FcgRIII (CD16), both correlated to a glycosylation pattern characterized by a low fucose content. Based on these studies, LFB has developed EMABling, a technological platform for the production of antibodies with enhanced cytotoxicity ability. Two EMABling antibodies recently entered clinical development: LFB-R593, a fully human anti-rhesus D (RhD) antibody, for the prevention of feto-maternal allo-immunization in RhD- women, as a substitute for human polyclonal anti-RhD immunoglobulins, and LFB-R603, a monoclonal antibody directed against CD20, for the treatment of B cell malignancies. LFB investment in bioproduction through the recent acquisition of MAbgène company, a fully integrated French contract biopharmaceutical manufacturing company, allows the production of antibodies to a large GMP scale. As a whole, LFB owns a portfolio of several EMABling antibodies with high therapeutic interest, in line with its public health mission.