Nano antibodies

Often described as ' colored bullets ', rather than complex and expensive pharmaceutical depots, antibodies will increase the 'guards' for the body at the risk of infiltrating agents disease from outside.

And, nanotechnology is allowing the creation of tiny antibodies from animals, which are more effective in immunizing many diseases thanks to a more comprehensive scale of attack .

Mr. Mark Vaeck
(Photo: nature.com)

As a ' late-born ' biotechnology company , Ablynx is now well known by experts for its discovery of Mabs, a tiny versatile pharmaceutical product that will handle the work of an antibody.

These nanometer-sized (one-billionths of a meter) protein samples will be encapsulated in brand-name tablets, able to fight many diseases, from cancer, chronic arthritis, to intestinal inflammation and even even Alzheimer's . According to Ablynx Chairman, Mark Vaeck, the company will start clinical trials later this year, to soon bring new treatments for many diseases that generations of resistance show. This is not possible.

Correct the immune system

The first goal will be neurological and brain diseases, followed by diseases related to the immune system."These are the most complex organs in the body, always protected by natural antibodies," explains Vaeck - "Natural antibodies are giant Y-shaped proteins present in the circuits. Blood and mucous membranes between cells, using 'chemical sensitive elements' to detect foreign agents entering the body. Each antibody has its own mission, responsible for patrolling, detecting specific chemicals of bacteria, viruses as well as allergens, toxins . '.

However, despite the immune defenses of the immune system, we are still long sick. Because the body's immune system is sometimes slow or " complacent " in response to external pathogens, such as carcinogens or viruses; and sometimes excessively active, leading to false reactions such as organ transplant rejection reactions, asthma . This ' mistaken ' reaction has caused diseases degenerate like chronic arthritis, for example.

New prospects

For years, scientists have focused a lot on creating synthetic antibodies that can repair or correct the immune system's wrong responses. However, almost every effort ended in vain and consumed huge amounts of finance.

(Photo: BBC)

At the end of 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 17 antibody therapies, including promising treatments for many diseases, which emerged as a distinct drug Mabs. According to the statistics of AS Insights Consulting, in 2004 alone, pharmaceutical companies collected 11.2 billion USD from selling similar products.

And the market demand for single antibodies (simplified in size and nature, but with more resistance to disease) is on the rise. According to expert Janice M. Reichert at the Tufts University Research & Development Center, there are dozens of new antibodies that are in development or start of clinical trials and are expected to have at least 10 FDA approved for the next 3 years. She predicted that by 2008, Mabs will bring in at least $ 17 billion from worldwide sales .

Since the 1980s, microbiologists and molecular medicine experts have begun many experiments on the ability to make antibodies ' fragments ' from small parts of the Y chromosome or body fluids. At this size, each new antibody dose can contain a full range of therapeutic features, ranging from toxic exposure to elimination of pathogens, cell signal correction or giving Other options such as ' cell information receptor '. However, these antibody fragments do not meet the immune system components similar to T cells, so it cannot be considered as a vaccine .

Smart medicines

According to scientific director Hans de Haard, Ablynx's antibodies may be responsible for expensive remedies, such as Xolair's asthma treatment that will cost about $ 11,000 a year and a special Herceptin drug, a type Anti-cancer antibody therapy, also takes up to $ 38,000 each year. Mabs will defeat all thanks to the superiority of the ability to remotely infect and overcome the risk of disease, especially easily synthesized.

In particular, Mabs can be made from bacteria, fungi or yeast ., which are cheaper sources than isolating from mice or rodents. These antibodies will find their way into the tumor center, and by being equipped with predetermined genetic codes, they are capable of eliminating toxic substances such as radioactive isotopes or drugs used in chemotherapy. therapy.

And, it also has the ability to purify the blood, so half-life activity will be significantly reduced after the vaccination period. A number of leading pharmaceutical companies such as Domantis in Cambridge have revised some details to simplify the size, but added programming and coding so that they can correctly identify the goals needed for attacks. effective public.

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