Discovery of SARS-CoV2-neutralizing antibodies from COVID-19 patients

Schlieren, March 18, 2020. Memo Therapeutics AG has started the discovery of SARS-CoV2-neutralizing antibodies from COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the infection.

• Memo Therapeutics AG (MTx) antibody discovery engine is capable to isolate ultra rare virus-neutralizing antibodies from elite controller patients with exceptional functionality.
• MTx has started to enroll COVID-19 patients to repeat the success with is BK polyoma virus program where a therapeutic candidate was discovered within5 months

Memo Therapeutics AG is deploying its microfluidic technology platform DROPZYLLA®, to create cognate recombinant libraries from COVID-19 patients who overcame infection in a particularly efficient manner (“elite controllers”). In comparison to other technlogies having a capture rate of far below 5%, MTxs libraries comprise at least 80% of a patient’s antibody repertoire. Capturing essentially the whole antibody repertoire is of crucial importance since antibodies with neutralizing activity represent only a minority of the antibodies made by the human immune system. These ultra-rare antibodies with exceptionally high functionality are usually impossible to be detected using conventional methods. MTx has previously demonstrated its ability to capture ultra-rare antibodies from elite controller patients and develop them to candidate antibodies. Using its proprietary platform MTx has developed a superior antibody against the BK virus important in kidney transplantation with a 100 times higher neutralization capacity compared to a development candidate generated by a large pharma company. Notably, MTx has achieved this within 5 months from patient to GMP production.

Now, MTx has started to enroll the first COVID-19 convalescent patients to repeat that success story.

Dr. Karsten Fischer, CEO, comments: “We are excited that we can use our powerful technology to contribute to the efforts to overcome this global pandemic threat“. Dr. Christoph Esslinger, CSO adds: “This is not merely an opportunity to showcase our DROPZYLLA® technology but a real attempt to provide an alternative treatment option for severe cases of COVID-19 and for those who are at risk but not able to mount a protective immune response upon vaccination, once this vaccine will be available”.

If you have recovered from a moderate to severe SARS-CoV-2-infection, are willing to donate blood and are situated in the vicinity of Zurich, please visit: www.memo-therapeutics.com/hack-corona.html

About Memo Therapeutics AG
MTx is an innovator in the field of antibody discovery and immune repertoire analysis based in Zurich’s Bio-Technopark. Exploiting the power of our microfluidic single-cell molecular cloning and screening technologies we engage in antibody discovery across species and indications for proprietary and partnered projects. Our current pipeline features programs in infectious diseases and immuno-oncology.

For more information, please visit www.memo-therapeutics.com