Novab, Inc. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mission of Novab is to utilize the unique proper
Novab, Inc. — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Health and Human Services.
- Amount
- $149,036
- Agency
- Department of Health and Human Services · National Institutes of Health
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Solicitation
- PA14-071
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- GA
- Period
- —
Description
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mission of Novab is to utilize the unique properties of lamprey generated Variable Lymphocyte Receptors (VLRs) to develop effective, complementary and/or superior therapeutics to those currently derived from mammalian monoclonal antibodies (mMAbs). In the current application, we seek to initiate and demonstrate proof of concept for one commercial project within this mission, which is the application of VLRs to the design of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that currently are used as the tumor targeting component of genetically- engineered T cell immunotherapies. Our hypothesis is that due to independent evolution from the immunoglobulins (Igs) of jawed vertebrates, lamprey VLRs raised against therapeutic cell targets will recognize epitopes that are unique from those obtained using standard mammalian immunization and MAb (i.e. Ig) production. Therefore, VLRs represent a novel platform for the identification of cancer cell targets and the generation of improved