5th European Antibody Congress 2009

The 5th European Antibody Congress (EAC), organized by Terrapin Ltd, was held in Geneva, Switzerland, which was also the location of the 4th EAC.1 With more than 220 delegates, this event was the largest antibody congress held in Europe during 2009. Numerous pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies active in the field of therapeutic antibody development were represented, as were start-up and academic organizations. The global trends in antibody research and development were discussed, including success stories of recent marketing authorizations (catumaxomab, certolizumab pegol, rilonacept, ustekinumab and ofatumumab developed by Fresenius, UCB-Celltech, Regeneron, Centocor and Genmab, respectively) and success and attrition rates for this fast expending class of therapeutics. Case studies covering clinical progress in anti-CD20 (Genmab, LFB) and anti-IGF-1R mAbs (Biogen Idec, Imclone, Merck/Pierre Fabre), antibody-drug conjugates (ImmunoGen, Genentech, Seattle Genetics, Wyeth/Pfizer) and new scaffolds (Ablynx, Adnexus/Bristol-Myers Squibb, Domantis/GlaxoSmithKline, Dyax, Molecular Partners, Scil Proteins) were presented. Major antibody structural improvements were showcased, including the latest global developments in 2-in-1 antibodies (Genentech), dual antibodies (Abbott), trifunctional antibodies (Trion Pharma, Fresenius), agonist antibodies (MedImmune, Kyowa Hakko Kirin), Fc-engineered (Centocor, MedImmune), glyco-engineered (Centocor, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Lonza) aglycosylated IgGs (University of Cambridge) and non-activating formats (Genmab). Improvements of drugability (Pierre Fabre, Pfizer), alternative quantification methods based on mass spectrometry (Novartis, CEA), progress in manufacturing (Biogen Idec, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Merck KG) and patent strategies (Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge) were also discussed. Last but not least, identification of mAbs against new therapeutic targets (Pierre Fabre, Roche, Crucell) and translations to clinical studies (Novartis) were presented, as well as progresses in antibody humanization and engineering (Université de Montpellier, French Army Health Department, Merck-Serono, Pierre Fabre).     

4th European Antibody Congress 2008: December 1–3, 2008, Geneva,Switzerland

The Fourth European Antibody meeting, organized by Terrapin Ltd., was held in Geneva, a center of the European biopharmaceutical industry. Merck-Serono, NovImmune, Pierre Fabre and Therapeomic are located nearby, as are R&D centers of Boehringer-Ingelheim, Novartis, Roche and Sanofi-Aventis. Over 40 speakers and more than 200 delegates attended the event. Companies represented included Abbott, Ablynx, Adnexus/ BMS, Astra-Zeneca/ CAT/ Medimmune, BiogenIdec, BioRad, Centocor (Johnson & Johnson), Crucell/DSM, Domantis, Dyax, Genmab, Genzyme, Glycart/ Roche, Haptogen, Immunogen, Kyowa-Kirin, LFB, Medarex, Merck-Serono, Micromet, Novartis, Pierre Fabre Laboratories, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, Seattle-Genetics, Transgene, UCB Celltech and Wyeth. Other attendees included those based in academe or government (University of Amsterdam, University of Zurich, Univeristy Hospital-Lyon, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, INSERM, Tufts University, US National Institutes of Health), consultants, and patent attorneys (Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge). The meeting was very interactive and included exchanges during the many scheduled networking times (exhibitions, speed-networking, lunches and evening receptions). The first day of the three day conference was dedicated to advances in understanding antibody structure-function relationships. Challenges and opportunities in antibody development were the focus of the second day and the third day featured discussion of innovative antibodies and antibody alternatives.

• MAbs. 2009 Mar-Apr; 1(2): 93–103.
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• December 1, 2008 Day 1, Therapeutic antibodies: Advances in dissecting structure-function relationships

MAbs. 2009 Mar-Apr; 1(2): 93–103.

December 1, 2008 Day 1, Therapeutic antibodies: Advances in dissecting structure-function relationships

Alain BeckAuthor information Article notes Copyright and License information DisclaimerDepartment of Physico-Chemistry; Center of Immunology Pierre Fabre; Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, FranceCorresponding author.Correspondence to: Alain Beck; Centre d''Immunologie Pierre Fabre; 5 avenue Napoleon III; Saint-Julien-en-Genevois 74160 France; Email: moc.erbaferreip@kceb.nialaReceived 2009 Jan 20; Accepted 2009 Jan 20.Copyright © 2009 Landes BioscienceThe chairman, Alain Beck (Centre d''Immunologie Pierre Fabre), opened the meeting with the following remarks: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and related-products (immunoconjugates, radioimmuno-conjugates, Fab fragments and Fc-fusion proteins) are the fastest growing class of pharmaceuticals, with nearly 30 products currently approved for a wide range of indications.^3,14 In just the last three years, six new antibodies and derivatives have reached the market. These included molecules that are novel formats, as well as first in class drugs in new therapeutic indications. In 2006, panitumumab (Vectibix) was the first fully human IgG2 mAb generated by immunization of humanized transgenic mice and the second anti-EGFR mAb to gain approval. Also in 2006, ranibizumab (Lucentis), the first E. coli-produced Fab fragment and the first affinity matured antibody, was approved as a treatment age-related macular degeneration. Later, tocilizumab (Actemra) a conventional IgG1, but directed against a new target (IL-6R), was registered in Japan; BLAs are pending both in the US and in Europe. In 2007, eculizumab (Soliris) was approved for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Eculizumab was constituted by an original IgG2/4 hybrid format, and is unable to bind Fc receptors or activate the complement cascade. In 2008, rinolacept (Arcalyst), an IL-1R-Fc fusion protein also called IL-1 trap, was registered for cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes. Also in 2008, certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) became the first PEGylated Fab fragment to gain approval. The product, indicated for Crohn disease, is produced in E. coli and conjugated to large PEG residues (40 kDa). Interestingly, from a structure-function standpoint, certolizumab was crystallized and the 3D model of this original PEG-Fab was recently reported.⁴ In addition to these six new antibody or antibody-related product approvals, the first two biosimilar antibodies, Reditux (a copy of rituximab developed by Dr Reddy) and Clotinab (a biogeneric of abciximab developed by ISU ABXIS), were recently launched in India and in South Korea, respectively. Active discussions are ongoing regarding whether such generic biopharmaceuticals may also be approved in Europe, following approval of other glycoproteins such as erythropoietin.¹⁶     

6th Annual European Antibody Congress 2010

The 6^th European Antibody Congress (EAC), organized by Terrapinn Ltd., was held in Geneva, Switzerland, which was also the location of the 4^th and 5^th EAC.1 Beck A, Hanala S, Reichert JM. 4^th European Antibody Congress 2008: December 1–3, 2008. mAbs 2009; 1:Switzerland Geneva 93 - 103  ,2 Beck A, Reichert JM, Wurch T. 5^th European Antibody Congress 2009: November 30–December 2, 2009. mAbs 2010; 2:108 - 128   As was the case in 2008 and 2009, the EAC was again the largest antibody congress held in Europe, drawing nearly 250 delegates in 2010. Numerous pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies active in the field of therapeutic antibody development were represented, as were start-up and academic organizations and representatives from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The global trends in antibody research and development were discussed, including success stories of recent marketing authorizations of golimumab (Simponi^®) and canakinumab (Ilaris^®) by Johnson & Johnson and Novartis, respectively, updates on antibodies in late clinical development (obinutuzumab/GA101, farletuzumab/MORAb-003 and itolizumab/T1 h, by Glycart/Roche, Morphotek and Biocon, respectively) and success rates for this fast-expanding class of therapeutics (Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development). Case studies covering clinical progress of girentuximab (Wilex), evaluation of panobacumab (Kenta Biotech), characterization of therapeutic antibody candidates by protein microarrays (Protagen), antibody-drug conjugates (sanofi-aventis, ImmunoGen, Seattle Genetics, Wyeth/Pfizer), radio-immunoconjugates (Bayer Schering Pharma, Université de Nantes) and new scaffolds (Ablynx, AdAlta, Domantis/GlaxoSmithKline, Fresenius, Molecular Partners, Pieris, Scil Proteins, Pfizer, University of Zurich) were presented. Major antibody structural improvements were showcased, including the latest selection engineering of the best isotypes (Abbott, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre), hinge domain (Pierre Fabre), dual antibodies (Abbott), IgG-like bispecific antibodies (Biogen Idec), antibody epitope mapping case studies (Eli Lilly), insights in FcγRII receptor (University of Cambridge), as well as novel tools for antibody fragmentation (Genovis). Improvements of antibody druggability (Abbott, Bayer, Pierre Fabre, Merrimack, Pfizer), enhancing IgG pharmacokinetics (Abbott, Chugai), progress in manufacturing (Genmab, Icosagen Cell Factory, Lonza, Pierre Fabre) and the development of biosimilar antibodies (Biocon, Sandoz, Triskel) were also discussed. Last but not least, identification of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against new therapeutic targets (Genentech, Genmab, Imclone/Lilly, Vaccinex) including Notch, cMet, TGFβRII, SEMA4D, novel development in immunotherapy and prophylaxis against influenza (Crucell), anti-tumor activity of immunostimulatory antibodies (MedImmune/Astra Zeneca) and translations to clinical studies including immunogenicity issues (Amgen, Novartis, University of Debrecen) were presented.     

6th Annual European Antibody Congress 2010: November 29–December 1, 2010, Geneva,Switzerland

The 6^th European Antibody Congress (EAC), organized by Terrapinn Ltd., was held in Geneva, Switzerland, which was also the location of the 4^th and 5^th EAC.^1,2 As was the case in 2008 and 2009, the EAC was again the largest antibody congress held in Europe, drawing nearly 250 delegates in 2010. Numerous pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies active in the field of therapeutic antibody development were represented, as were start-up and academic organizations and representatives from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The global trends in antibody research and development were discussed, including success stories of recent marketing authorizations of golimumab (Simponi^®) and canakinumab (Ilaris^®) by Johnson & Johnson and Novartis, respectively, updates on antibodies in late clinical development (obinutuzumab/GA101, farletuzumab/MORAb-003 and itolizumab/T1 h, by Glycart/Roche, Morphotek and Biocon, respectively) and success rates for this fast-expanding class of therapeutics (Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development). Case studies covering clinical progress of girentuximab (Wilex), evaluation of panobacumab (Kenta Biotech), characterization of therapeutic antibody candidates by protein microarrays (Protagen), antibody-drug conjugates (sanofi-aventis, ImmunoGen, Seattle Genetics, Wyeth/Pfizer), radio-immunoconjugates (Bayer Schering Pharma, Université de Nantes) and new scaffolds (Ablynx, AdAlta, Domantis/GlaxoSmithKline, Fresenius, Molecular Partners, Pieris, Scil Proteins, Pfizer, University of Zurich) were presented. Major antibody structural improvements were showcased, including the latest selection engineering of the best isotypes (Abbott, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre), hinge domain (Pierre Fabre), dual antibodies (Abbott), IgG-like bispecific antibodies (Biogen Idec), antibody epitope mapping case studies (Eli Lilly), insights in FcγRII receptor (University of Cambridge), as well as novel tools for antibody fragmentation (Genovis). Improvements of antibody druggability (Abbott, Bayer, Pierre Fabre, Merrimack, Pfizer), enhancing IgG pharmacokinetics (Abbott, Chugai), progress in manufacturing (Genmab, Icosagen Cell Factory, Lonza, Pierre Fabre) and the development of biosimilar antibodies (Biocon, Sandoz, Triskel) were also discussed. Last but not least, identification of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against new therapeutic targets (Genentech, Genmab, Imclone/Lilly, Vaccinex) including Notch, cMet, TGFβRII, SEMA4D, novel development in immunotherapy and prophylaxis against influenza (Crucell), anti-tumor activity of immunostimulatory antibodies (MedImmune/Astra Zeneca) and translations to clinical studies including immunogenicity issues (Amgen, Novartis, University of Debrecen) were presented.Key words: therapeutic antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, protein scaffolds, biosimilars, bioproduction

• MAbs. 2011 Mar-Apr; 3(2): 111–132.
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• Day 1: November 29, 2010

2011 Mar-Apr; 3(2): 111–132. Published online 2011 Mar 1. doi: 10.4161/mabs.3.2.14788

Day 1: November 29, 2010

Alain Beck Copyright and License information DisclaimerCopyright notice The EAC chairman, Alain Beck (Centre d''Immunologie Pierre Fabre), opened the meeting with a presentation on strategies and challenges for the next generation of therapeutic antibodies.³ By analyzing the regulatory approvals of IgG-based biotherapeutic agents in the past ten years, we can gain insights into the successful strategies used by pharmaceutical companies so far to bring innovative drugs to the market. Strategies to optimize the structure of IgG antibodies and to design related or new structures with additional functions were presented. A detailed knowledge of antibody structure and activity now allows researchers to engineer primary antibodies on a more rational basis. Most approved antibodies are chimeric, humanized or human IgGs with similar constant domains. Numerous studies looking at the structure-function relationships of these antibodies have been published in the past five years with the aim of identifying antibody microvariants⁴ and investigating the influence of these variants on antigen binding, stability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD). This knowledge is now being used to increase homogeneity and mitigate the chemistry, manufacture and control (CMC) liabilities of preclinical antibody candidates by genetic engineering. The removal by mutation of instability or aggregation hot spots in the antibody complementarity-determining regions (CDRs), and the use of hinge-stabilized or aglycosylated IgG4, are just a few examples of antibodies with improved pharmacological properties, including decreased heterogeneity, that are currently in development.Dr. Beck explained that the variable fragment (Fv) of an antibody is responsible for interactions with antigens and dictates essential properties such as binding affinity and target specificity. The origin of the Fv in therapeutic antibodies can be diverse, e.g., hybridomas, human antibody libraries, rodents with a human antibody repertoire or primatized or humanized antibodies from various species. Affinity maturation allows the binding affinity of the Fv to be improved or target selectivity to be modulated. The constant fragment (Fc) of an antibody is responsible for interactions with immune cells, and the associated properties of the Fc can also be modulated by engineering at several levels:⁵ altering the glycosylation status to regulate anti- and pro-inflammatory properties, modulating antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by site-directed mutagenesis to alter binding to Fc receptors, increasing the serum half-life by Fc engineering to increase binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), thereby preventing IgG degradation, and increasing complement activation by isotype chimerism. Additional functions can be endowed on antibodies by conjugation to other drugs. To date, the clinical success of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) has been limited. Nevertheless, promising new ADCs that include linkers with optimized properties (e.g., hydrolysable in the cytoplasm, resistant or susceptible to proteases or resistant to multi-drug resistance efflux pumps) and highly cytotoxic drugs are being studied in advanced clinical trials (e.g., trastuzumab emtansine, inotuzumab ozogamicin and brentuximab vedotin).⁶ IgGs have also been engineered to contain unique drug conjugation positions to obtain uniform and more homogeneous drug conjugates, such as ThioMab-drug conjugates, which have a uniform stoichiometry of approximately two coupled drugs per antibody molecule. Collectively, these advances should open new therapeutic avenues to deliver highly cytotoxic drugs with increased tolerability.     

Keystone Symposium on Antibodies as Drugs

The symposium on Antibodies as Drugs, organized by Keystone Symposia and chaired by J. Marks, (University of California Los Angeles, USA), E.S. Ward (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USA) and L. Weiner (Georgetown University Medical Center, USA), was held in Whistler, British Columbia. This Canadian Rockies village, which will host the 2010 Olympic Games, served as an enchanting backdrop to the meeting. The >350 speakers and attendees included scientists from major pharmaceutical firms, e.g., Abbott, MedImmune/Astra Zeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck & Co, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Schering, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Hoffmann LaRoche, Novartis, Wyeth, and biotechnology companies, e.g., Ablynx, Medarex, Morphosys, GenMab, Amgen, Genentech, ImmunoGen, Agensys, Domantis, Biogen Idec, Centocor, LFB, Micromet, PDL Biopharma, Borean Pharma, Dyax Corp, Symphogen, Syntonix. Academic research groups at Imperial College London, University of Oxford, ETH Zürich, Scripps, Institute Cochin, Karolinska Institute, Utrecht University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Baylor College, Paul Ehrlich Institute, University of California San Francisco, University of California San Diego, University of Nantes, University of Tours, and Ludwig Institute were also represented, as were regulatory authorities, including the US Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada). The meeting was very interactive, and included thoughtful exchanges during the different sessions and networking events.     

Fourth World Antibody-Drug Conjugate Summit: February 29–March 1, 2012, Frankfurt,Germany

The 4th World Antibody Drug Conjugate (WADC) Summit, organized by Hanson Wade was held on February 29‑March 1, 2012 in Frankfurt, Germany, which was also the location for the Antibody Drug Conjugate Summit Europe held in February 2011. During the one year between these meetings, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have confirmed their technological maturity and their clinical efficacy in oncology. Brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS^TM) gained approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in August 2011 and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) confirmed impressive clinical efficacy responses in a large cohort of breast cancer patients. During the 4th WADC meeting, antibody-maytansinoid conjugates were showcased by representatives of ImmunoGen (T-DM1, SAR3419, lorvotuzumab mertansine/IMGN801, IMGN529 and IMG853) and Biotest (BT-062). Data on antibody-auristatin conjugates were presented by scientists and clinicians from Seattle Genetics and Takeda (brentuximab vedotin), Pfizer (5T4-MMAF), Agensys/Astella (AGS-16M8F), Progenics (PSMA-ADC) and Genmab (anti-TF ADCs). Alternative payloads such as calicheamicins and duocarmycin used for preparation of ADCs were discussed by Pfizer and Synthon representatives, respectively. In addition, emerging technologies, including site-directed conjugation (Ambrx), a protein toxin as payload (Viventia), hapten-binding bispecific antibodies (Roche), and use of light activated drugs (Photobiotics), were also presented. Last but not least, progresses in solving Chemistry Manufacturing and Control, and pharmacokinetic issues were addressed by scientists from Genentech, Pfizer, Novartis and Pierre Fabre.     

Fourth World Antibody-Drug Conjugate Summit

The 4th World Antibody Drug Conjugate (WADC) Summit, organized by Hanson Wade was held on February 29?March 1, 2012 in Frankfurt, Germany, which was also the location for the Antibody Drug Conjugate Summit Europe held in February 2011. During the one year between these meetings, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have confirmed their technological maturity and their clinical efficacy in oncology. Brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS^TM) gained approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in August 2011 and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) confirmed impressive clinical efficacy responses in a large cohort of breast cancer patients. During the 4th WADC meeting, antibody-maytansinoid conjugates were showcased by representatives of ImmunoGen (T-DM1, SAR3419, lorvotuzumab mertansine/IMGN801, IMGN529 and IMG853) and Biotest (BT-062). Data on antibody-auristatin conjugates were presented by scientists and clinicians from Seattle Genetics and Takeda (brentuximab vedotin), Pfizer (5T4-MMAF), Agensys/Astella (AGS-16M8F), Progenics (PSMA-ADC) and Genmab (anti-TF ADCs). Alternative payloads such as calicheamicins and duocarmycin used for preparation of ADCs were discussed by Pfizer and Synthon representatives, respectively. In addition, emerging technologies, including site-directed conjugation (Ambrx), a protein toxin as payload (Viventia), hapten-binding bispecific antibodies (Roche), and use of light activated drugs (Photobiotics), were also presented. Last but not least, progresses in solving Chemistry Manufacturing and Control, and pharmacokinetic issues were addressed by scientists from Genentech, Pfizer, Novartis and Pierre Fabre.     

Keystone Symposium on Antibodies as Drugs: March 27–April 1, 2009, Whistler,BC CA

The symposium on Antibodies as Drugs, organized by Keystone Symposia and chaired by J. Marks, (University of California Los Angeles, USA), E.S. Ward (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USA) and L. Weiner (Georgetown University Medical Center, USA), was held in Whistler, British Columbia. This Canadian Rockies village, which will host the 2010 Olympic Games, served as an enchanting backdrop to the meeting. The more than 350 speakers and attendees included scientists from major pharmaceutical firms, e.g., Abbott, MedImmune/Astra Zeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck & Co., Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Schering, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Hoffmann LaRoche, Novartis, Wyeth, and biotechnology companies, e.g., Ablynx, Medarex, Morphosys, GenMab, Amgen, Genentech, ImmunoGen, Agensys, Domantis, Biogen Idec, Centocor, LFB, Micromet, PDL Biopharma, Borean Pharma, Dyax Corp., Symphogen and Syntonix. Academic research groups at Imperial College London, University of Oxford, ETH Zürich, Scripps, Institute Cochin, Karolinska Institute, Utrecht University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Baylor College, Paul Ehrlich Institute, University of California San Francisco, University of California San Diego, University of Nantes, University of Tours and Ludwig Institute were also represented, as were regulatory authorities, including the US Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada). The meeting was very interactive and included thoughtful exchanges during the different sessions and networking events.     

9th Annual European Antibody Congress,November 11–13, 2013, Geneva,Switzerland

The annual European Antibody Congress (EAC) has traditionally been the key event for updates on critical scientific advances in the antibody field, and 2013 was no exception. Organized by Terrapinn, the well-attended meeting featured presentations on considerations for developing antibodies and antibody-like therapeutics, with separate tracks for antibody-drug conjugates, naked antibodies, and multispecific antibodies or protein scaffolds. The overall focus of the EAC was current approaches to enhance the functionality of therapeutic antibodies or other targeted proteins, with the ultimate goal being improvement of the safety and efficacy of the molecules as treatments for cancer, immune-mediated disorders and other diseases. Roundtable discussion sessions gave participants opportunities to engage in group discussions with industry leaders from companies such as Genmab, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, MedImmune, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, and Pierre Fabre. As the 2013 EAC was co-located with the World Biosimilar Congress, participants also received an update on European Medicines Agency guidelines and thoughts on the future direction and development of biosimilar antibodies in the European Union.     

World Antibody-Drug Conjugate Summit,October 15–16, 2013, San Francisco,CA

The World Antibody-Drug Conjugate (WADC) Summits organized by Hanson Wade are currently the largest meetings fully dedicated to ADCs. The first global ADC Summit was organized in Boston in October 2010. Since 2011, two WADC are held every year in Frankfurt and San Francisco, respectively. The 2013 WADC San Francisco event was structured around plenary sessions with keynote speakers from AbbVie, Agensys, ImmunoGen, Immunomedics, Genentech, Pfizer and Seattle Genetics. Parallel tracks were also organized addressing ADC discovery, development and optimization of chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC) issues. Discovery and process scientists, regulatory experts (US Food and Drug Administration), academics and clinicians were present, including representatives from biotechnology firms (Concortis, CytomX Therapeutics, Glykos, Evonik, Igenica, Innate Pharma, Mersana Therapeutics, Polytherics, Quanta Biodesign, Redwood Bioscience, Sutro Biopharma, SynAffix), pharmaceutical companies (Amgen, Genmab, Johnson and Johnson, MedImmune, Novartis, Progenics, Takeda) and contract research or manufacturing organizations (Baxter, Bayer, BSP Pharmaceuticals, Fujifilm/Diosynth, Lonza, Pierre Fabre Contract Manufacturing, Piramal, SAFC, SafeBridge).     

World Antibody-Drug Conjugate Summit,October 15–16, 2013, San Francisco,CA

The World Antibody-Drug Conjugate (WADC) Summits organized by Hanson Wade are currently the largest meetings fully dedicated to ADCs. The first global ADC Summit was organized in Boston in October 2010. Since 2011, two WADC are held every year in Frankfurt and San Francisco, respectively. The 2013 WADC San Francisco event was structured around plenary sessions with keynote speakers from AbbVie, Agensys, ImmunoGen, Immunomedics, Genentech, Pfizer and Seattle Genetics. Parallel tracks were also organized addressing ADC discovery, development and optimization of chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC) issues. Discovery and process scientists, regulatory experts (US Food and Drug Administration), academics and clinicians were present, including representatives from biotechnology firms (Concortis, CytomX Therapeutics, Glykos, Evonik, Igenica, Innate Pharma, Mersana Therapeutics, Polytherics, Quanta Biodesign, Redwood Bioscience, Sutro Biopharma, SynAffix), pharmaceutical companies (Amgen, Genmab, Johnson and Johnson, MedImmune, Novartis, Progenics, Takeda) and contract research or manufacturing organizations (Baxter, Bayer, BSP Pharmaceuticals, Fujifilm/Diosynth, Lonza, Pierre Fabre Contract Manufacturing, Piramal, SAFC, SafeBridge).     

Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics 2015: The Antibody Society's annual meeting December 7–10, 2015, San Diego,CA

Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics, the annual meeting of The Antibody Society, will be held in San Diego, CA in early December 2015. In this meeting preview, the chairs provide their thoughts on the importance of their session topics, which include antibody effector functions, reproducibility of research and diagnostic antibodies, new developments in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), preclinical and clinical ADC data, new technologies and applications for bispecific antibodies, antibody therapeutics for non-cancer and orphan indications, antibodies to harness the cellular immune system, overcoming resistance to clinical immunotherapy, and building comprehensive IGVH-gene repertoires through discovering, confirming and cataloging new germline IGVH genes. The Antibody Society's special session will focus on “Antibodies to watch” in 2016, which are a subset of the nearly 50 antibodies currently in Phase 3 clinical studies. Featuring over 100 speakers in total, the meeting will commence with keynote presentations by Erica Ollmann Saphire (The Scripps Research Institute), Wayne A. Marasco (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School), Joe W. Gray (Oregon Health & Science University), and Anna M. Wu (University of California Los Angeles), and it will conclude with workshops on the promise and challenges of using next-generation sequencing for antibody discovery and engineering from synthetic and in vivo libraries and on computational antibody design.     

Einthoven Dissertation Prizes 2008

For the 19th time in a row, the Netherlands Society of Cardiology (NVVC), the Interuniversity Cardiology Institute of the Netherlands (ICIN), and the sponsor, Sanofi-Aventis have supported the competition for the best three PhD theses on a cardiovascular subject published last year. The prize carries the name of one of the great Dutchmen in the history of cardiology: Willem Einthoven (1860-1927), the pioneer of the human ECG and winner of the Nobel Prize in 1924. The jury reviewed a total of 20 dissertations. The jury members were impressed and pleased by the scientific quality of the work of the young doctors. As always, it was not easy to decide which ones to nominate for the final round. Three nominees, Gabe Bleeker, Niels Riksen and Joanne Schuijf, presented their work at the spring meeting of the NVVC, which was held in Amsterdam on 18 April 2008.     

The 7th East Midlands Proteomics Workshop 12 November 2008, Nottingham,UK

Over 200 scientists with a common interest in proteomic techniques and their application to fundamental biological and biomedical problems participated in the 7th East Midlands Proteomics Workshop. This annual one day meeting was held in Nottingham in November 2008 and is a joint venture of colleagues from three local Universities: The University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, and Loughborough University.     

Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics 2016: The Antibody Society's annual meeting,December 11–15, 2016, San Diego,CA

Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics, the largest meeting devoted to antibody science and technology and the annual meeting of The Antibody Society, will be held in San Diego, CA on December 11-15, 2016. Each of 14 sessions will include six presentations by leading industry and academic experts. In this meeting preview, the session chairs discuss the relevance of their topics to current and future antibody therapeutics development. Session topics include bispecifics and designer polyclonal antibodies; antibodies for neurodegenerative diseases; the interface between passive and active immunotherapy; antibodies for non-cancer indications; novel antibody display, selection and screening technologies; novel checkpoint modulators / immuno-oncology; engineering antibodies for T-cell therapy; novel engineering strategies to enhance antibody functions; and the biological Impact of Fc receptor engagement. The meeting will open with keynote speakers Dennis R. Burton (The Scripps Research Institute), who will review progress toward a neutralizing antibody-based HIV vaccine; Olivera J. Finn, (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), who will discuss prophylactic cancer vaccines as a source of therapeutic antibodies; and Paul Richardson (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), who will provide a clinical update on daratumumab for multiple myeloma. In a featured presentation, a representative of the World Health Organization's INN expert group will provide a perspective on antibody naming. “Antibodies to watch in 2017” and progress on The Antibody Society's 2016 initiatives will be presented during the Society's special session. In addition, two pre-conference workshops covering ways to accelerate antibody drugs to the clinic and the applications of next-generation sequencing in antibody discovery and engineering will be held on Sunday December 11, 2016.     

Oxidative Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Proceedings from a satellite symposium, Guilin, China, 7-11 February 2004

This special issue of Molecular Neurobiology presents a series of mini-reviews resulting from an ISN satellite symposium entitled Oxidative Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Disorders Held at the Guilin Park Hotel, Guilin, China on February 7-11, 2004. The timely topics in this symposium were contributed by more than 20 internationally acclaimed scientists and attended by more than 100 participants interested in this subject matter. This satellite symposium was also part of the 6th Biennial Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (APSN) meeting held in Hong Kong, China. Organizers included Dr. Piu Chan (Capital University of Medical Sciences and Beijing Institute of Geriatrics) Dr. Albert Y. Sun and Dr. Grace Y. Sun (University of Missouri, Columbia, MO). The satellite meeting was hosted by Xuanwu Hospital of Capital University of Medical Sciences and Guilin Medical College, and was generously supported by the following: the International Society of Neurochemistry (ISN), National Institutes of Health (USA) (1 R13 NS047414), the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA, The Chinese Society of Neuroscience, Chinese Medical Association, Chinese Journal of Neurology, Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Beijing QuiXave United Technology Ltd. Corporation.     

Golimumab

Golimumab, a human anti-TNFα IgG1κ monoclonal antibody, was approved in the US and Canada in April 2009 as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, and is undergoing regulatory review in the EU for these indications. The product was developed by Centocor and Janssen Pharmaceutical KK (Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries), in collaboration with Schering-Plough and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma. Golimumab faces numerous protein therapeutic competitors on the market, but, as the first patient-administered, once-monthly dosed anti-TNFα drug, it will likely be an attractive option for patients.     

2012–13 Upcoming meetings

The Winter 2012–13 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.

Please note that Upcoming meetings lists will no longer be included in the print version of mAbs starting with the January/February 2013 issue. Please visit the mAbs home page to find an online meeting list: www.landesbioscience.com/journals/mabs/     

Antibody Engineering and Therapeutics

The 24^th Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics meeting brought together a broad range of participants who were updated on the latest advances in antibody research and development. Organized by IBC Life Sciences, the gathering is the annual meeting of The Antibody Society, which serves as the scientific sponsor. Preconference workshops on 3D modeling and delineation of clonal lineages were featured, and the conference included sessions on a wide variety of topics relevant to researchers, including systems biology; antibody deep sequencing and repertoires; the effects of antibody gene variation and usage on antibody response; directed evolution; knowledge-based design; antibodies in a complex environment; polyreactive antibodies and polyspecificity; the interface between antibody therapy and cellular immunity in cancer; antibodies in cardiometabolic medicine; antibody pharmacokinetics, distribution and off-target toxicity; optimizing antibody formats for immunotherapy; polyclonals, oligoclonals and bispecifics; antibody discovery platforms; and antibody-drug conjugates.     

The Draft Genome Sequence of European Pear (Pyrus communis L. ‘Bartlett’)

We present a draft assembly of the genome of European pear (Pyrus communis) ‘Bartlett’. Our assembly was developed employing second generation sequencing technology (Roche 454), from single-end, 2 kb, and 7 kb insert paired-end reads using Newbler (version 2.7). It contains 142,083 scaffolds greater than 499 bases (maximum scaffold length of 1.2 Mb) and covers a total of 577.3 Mb, representing most of the expected 600 Mb Pyrus genome. A total of 829,823 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected using re-sequencing of ‘Louise Bonne de Jersey’ and ‘Old Home’. A total of 2,279 genetically mapped SNP markers anchor 171 Mb of the assembled genome. Ab initio gene prediction combined with prediction based on homology searching detected 43,419 putative gene models. Of these, 1219 proteins (556 clusters) are unique to European pear compared to 12 other sequenced plant genomes. Analysis of the expansin gene family provided an example of the quality of the gene prediction and an insight into the relationships among one class of cell wall related genes that control fruit softening in both European pear and apple (Malus×domestica). The ‘Bartlett’ genome assembly v1.0 (http://www.rosaceae.org/species/pyrus/pyrus_communis/genome_v1.0) is an invaluable tool for identifying the genetic control of key horticultural traits in pear and will enable the wide application of marker-assisted and genomic selection that will enhance the speed and efficiency of pear cultivar development.