New Therapies Requiring Ultra Large Scale Monoclonal Ab Production In Microalgae
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$630,089.00
Summary
Monoclonal antibodies target pathogens and molecules with exquisite specificity, and are essential for therapeutics and diagnostics. They are currently made using high-tech/limited-capacity mammalian cell cultures which limit them to low-dose applications. We aim to enable new, high-dose antibody therapies (e.g. antiviral treatments, passive immunisation) via rapid, low-cost, dramatically larger-scale production of valuable medicinal antibodies in a photosynthetic-driven, green algae system.
Stability Engineering Of Human Antibody Therapeutics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,104.00
Summary
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are among the fastest growing class of drugs with more than $30 billion sales in 2011. Unfortunately, antibodies often display limited stability and a tendency to aggregate. This greatly hinders their development and results in high failure rates of otherwise promising candidates. We have recently identified mutations that render human antibodies resistant to aggregation. Here we apply this technology to a monoclonal antibody candidate developed by a leading pha ....Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are among the fastest growing class of drugs with more than $30 billion sales in 2011. Unfortunately, antibodies often display limited stability and a tendency to aggregate. This greatly hinders their development and results in high failure rates of otherwise promising candidates. We have recently identified mutations that render human antibodies resistant to aggregation. Here we apply this technology to a monoclonal antibody candidate developed by a leading pharmaceutical company.Read moreRead less
Development Of A Safer New Treatment For Systemic Lupus Erythematosus That Preserves B Cell Immunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$672,008.00
Summary
Lupus is an illness characterized by the body’s immune system attacking the body itself. More than 5 millions of people worldwide suffer from lupus, in particular Indigenous Australians who are 4 times more likely to develop lupus. Current treatments are toxic and/or lack efficacy. In this proposal we use strong new evidence from the laboratory to support the design of a much safer and more effective treatment for lupus that will be validated for future use in patients.
Safety Of Hendra Virus Anti-G Glycoprotein Monoclonal Antibody In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Hendra virus infection in humans is a serious, and often fatal, disease. No cure exists for Hendra infection and existing treatments are ineffective. Recently, a human monoclonal antibody has shown great promise in protecting animals from developing the disease. This project aims to perform preclinical safety testing and a Phase I clinical trial to establish the safety profile of this antibody such that it can be used to prevent Hendra infection in humans exposed to the disease.
Development Of Stable Human Antibody Phage Display Libraries
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,644.00
Summary
Antibodies are blockbuster therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and inflammation. Unfortunately, they often display limited stability which greatly hinders development and production. This project focuses on the construction of large libraries of stable antibodies, thereby streamlining the development of new therapeutics.
Citrullination In Rheumatic And Non-rheumatic Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$89,699.00
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common condition affecting about 1% of the population, leading to damage of joints and subsequently impaired function. This damage is caused by an immune system which rather than defending the host against threats such as infections, inadvertently attacks the host leading to joint damage. Ultimately a better understanding of the abnormal immune responses in patients with RA will allow us to more accurately the diagnose and manage this condition
Manipulating Antibody Production To Maximise Memory In Vaccine Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,084,424.00
Summary
Our immune system provides protection from germs. The secretion of germ-specific proteins (antibodies) is an integral component of this defence and the basis of virtually all vaccines. Pandemics of Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 and failure to develop vaccines against HIV and Malaria remind us that our strategies need urgent improvement. Increasing our understanding of how our body defends us by specifically targeting foreign structures will reveal avenues for successful, rational vaccine development.
Germinal Centres, Rogue B Cells And The Genesis Of Immunological Diseases.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$753,300.00
Summary
This study will determine how the immune system is normally prevented from producing autoantibodies that target the body's own cells and how this fails in autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Targeted studies of a newly discovered "rogue" white blood cell will also provide new clues on how autoimmune diseases arise. In addition, modeling of human immunological disease in mice via CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis will provide valuable new insights into their causes and potential treatments.
Positive And Negative Selection In The Germinal Centre Reaction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,289,965.00
Summary
We will investigate the processes that control the production of antibodies by the immune system. In particular, we will determine how the immune system is normally prevented from producing autoantibodies that target the body's own cells and how this fails in the case of autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Targeted studies of a new type of "rogue" white blood cell we have identified will also provide important clues on how autoantibody-producing cells escape and cause autoimmune disease.