Isogenica

Isogenica operates as a specialized biotechnology contract research organization (CRO) with a focus on solving antibody discovery and engineering challenges. Established in May 1998 as a spin-out from the Swedish biotech company ActiNova and initially named Pharmacophorix, the company was rebranded as Isogenica in 2001. The early team included individuals from Cambridge Antibody Technology, among them Bill Eldridge, who played a pivotal role in developing the company's foundational proprietary technology, CIS display. This cell-free, in vitro display technology, which received its first patent in 2004, enables the rapid screening of vast synthetic DNA libraries. A significant milestone was a 2008 discovery contract with Johnson & Johnson, which led to compounds entering clinical trials for multiple myeloma and prostate cancer.

The company's business model is centered on providing tailored services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners, functioning as a collaborative extension of their research and development teams. Revenue is generated through upfront payments, research funding, licensing fees for its libraries, and milestone payments for preclinical, clinical, and sales achievements on therapeutics developed from collaborations. Isogenica specializes in VHH single-domain antibodies, also known as nanobodies, which are about one-tenth the size of traditional monoclonal antibodies. This smaller format provides robustness, flexibility, and scalability for various therapeutic and diagnostic uses, including bi-specifics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and cell and gene therapies.

Isogenica's core offering combines its proprietary CIS display technology with what it claims are the largest and most diverse synthetic VHH libraries on the market. This combination allows for the interrogation of up to 1,000 times more VHH sequences than other display technologies, significantly accelerating the discovery of high-affinity antibodies. The process is entirely synthetic, using pre-humanized libraries which circumvents the lengthy and sometimes unpredictable process of animal immunization. The firm also developed ISOXTEND®, a technology designed to extend the half-life of VHH biotherapeutics in the bloodstream. With a track record that includes dozens of lead panels and three clinical-stage assets, Isogenica positions itself as an experienced partner in the antibody discovery field.

Keywords: VHH discovery, single-domain antibodies, nanobodies, antibody engineering, CIS display technology, synthetic antibody libraries, contract research organization, biotherapeutics, drug discovery, antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapy, gene therapy, protein engineering, bi-specific antibodies, half-life extension, ISOXTEND, therapeutic antibodies, biotechnology, pharmaceutical partnerships, in vitro display