Harnessing Divergent Species to Access Difficult and Conserved Antibody Targets

To exploit highly conserved and difficult drug targets, including GPCRs and ion channels, monoclonal antibody discovery efforts are increasingly relying on the advantages offered by divergent species such as rabbits, camelids, and chickens. Divergent host species enable robust immune responses against highly conserved binding sites and yield antibodies capable of penetrating functional pockets via long HCDR3 regions. Pan-reactive molecules are often produced by divergent hosts, and these antibodies can be tested in accessible animal models, offering a faster path to clinical development. In this webinar, Dr. Ross Chambers will analyze gaps in therapeutic antibodies that stem from the historic use of mice and examine opportunities to exploit previously inaccessible targets through discovery in alternate species. Examples of preclinical and clinical-stage antibodies raised in divergent species will be highlighted, providing an overview of their success.
About the speaker
Dr. Ross Chambers is the Vice President of Antibody Discovery at Integral Molecular. He has over 20 years of experience in antibody discovery, including pioneering the use of DNA immunizations and high-throughput antibody discovery for challenging targets. Ross earned his Ph.D. from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and did post-doctoral studies at UC Davis and Berkeley. Before joining Integral Molecular, he was the Director of R&D at SDIX and directed the discovery of thousands of commercial antibodies.