Alliance aims for temperature-stable antibodies

AbD Serotec, the research and diagnostic antibody segment of Morphosys, will work with Find (Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics) on diseases such as TB, malaria and sleeping sickness.

The goal of the research alliance is to establish a series of heat-stable Hucal-based antibodies as key components of diagnostic tests that are robust in tropical climates.

Using Morphosys's Hucal technology, AbD Serotec will identify heat-stable fully human antibodies specific for rapid diagnostic test applications for parasite detection.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Currently, rapid diagnostic test applications can allow detection of parasite antigens in a finger-prick blood sample.

However, most commercial diagnostic tests are developed for storage and use at 25C-30C.

High-disease-burden countries usually have higher ambient temperatures, which can lead to test degradation especially when taking into account the need for delivery to relatively remote locations in the developing world.

Therefore, temperature stability and prolonged shelf-life of diagnostic kits are critical factors for improving infectious disease control.

Under the terms of the agreement, Find receives the rights for the commercial use of heat-stable Hucal-derived antibodies for in vitro diagnostics.

AbD Serotec will participate in sales of diagnostic tests using such antibodies in industrialized countries.

If concluded successfully, the collaboration could be expanded to cover other disease areas of relevance for Find's objectives.