Biologics

The NIBR Biologics Center (NBC) focuses on the discovery of biologics, primarily antibodies and protein drugs, as well as siRNA-based drugs, and is responsible for generating new biotherapeutics within NIBR. As a class of medicine, protein biologics are a powerful tool that can often treat diseases that cannot be treated with traditional approaches.

Antibody and protein drugs are produced using recombinant DNA technology. Therapeutic antibodies are similar to those made by the human immune system, but are designed in the laboratory to specifically bind to disease targets in the body.

Therapeutic proteins are often identical or similar to naturally occurring proteins in the body, but they are used to replace, augment, or inhibit some function related to diseases. In NBC, a wide range of modern technologies are developed and applied to discover, optimize and modify proteins for biotherapeutic use in all NIBR disease areas.

RNAi therapeutics offer a new (modal) opportunity to treat disease and potentially can target any protein in a cell by down regulating its mRNA. By bringing together multidisciplinary teams, NBC is responsible for generating new biotherapeutics for Novartis.

 

Selected publications

The use of strong anion-exchange (SAX) magnetic particles for the extraction of therapeutic siRNA and their analysis by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Ye, G., Beverly, M. 2011. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, Vol 25, p3207-3215.

Bone Overgrowth-associated Mutations in the LRP4 Gene Impair Sclerostin Facilitator Function. O.Leupin, E.Piters, C.Halleux, S.Hu, I.Kramer, F.Morvan, T.Bouwmeester, M.Schirle, M.Bueno-Lozano, F. Ramos Fuentes, P.Itin, E.Boudin, F. de Freitas, K.Jennes, B.Brannetti, N.Charara, H.Ebersbach, S.Geisse, C.Lu, A.Bauer, W. van Hul, M.Kneissel 2011. J. Biol. Chem. 286: 19489-19500.

The second-generation active Aβ immunotherapy CAD106 reduces amyloid accumulation in APP transgenic mice while minimizing potential side effects. Wiessner C, Wiederhold KH, Tissot AC, Frey P, Danner S, Jacobson LH, Jennings GT, Lüönd R, Ortmann R, Reichwald J, Zurini M, Mir A, Bachmann MF, Staufenbiel M. 2011. J Neurosci. Jun 22;31(25):9323-31.