The DARPin Platform

Developing DARPin therapeutics

We have continually expanded the possibilities of our DARPin platform by creating defined biological effects.  These capabilities can be incorporated into new candidates in a modular fashion to elicit a custom-built therapeutic response. While we continue to characterize and expand our library of potential solutions, we are keenly focused on rapidly advancing our programs through the clinic with the ultimate objective of helping patients.

Flexible capabilities provide vast therapeutic scope

The DARPin platform generates modular, customizable therapeutics with the potential to solve many of the complex biological challenges that lie at the heart of disease.

Half-life extension

We seek to ensure a single dose can provide the right duration of effect and concentration in the body via a tunable half-life. We use this capability across our oncology and virology programs.

Multi-layer protection against target mutation

A multi-specific DARPin can block multiple targets at once. A single mutation in a virus or cancer cell is not likely to completely stop this ‘multi-blocking’, potentially giving our candidates broader efficacy and staying power against evolving targets.

Tumor-centric immune activation

We deliver a precision approach to anti-tumor immunity through combining an immune-stimulating DARPin with a DARPin that localizes the immune activation to the tumor environment. The intended result is enhanced efficacy with lowered risk of damage to healthy tissues.

Viral neutralization

Through multivalent targeting of viral surface proteins, we can effectively prevent viral fusion and therefore infection of target cells – this neutralization of viral particles is a feature of our leading anti-Covid 19 candidate, ensovibep.

Unique binding to challenging targets

The binding surfaces of a DARPin exert a unique molecular ‘grip’ on their targets, which can allow targeting of certain proteins that other biologic modalities like antibodies struggle with.

Clustering-assisted localized activation for optimal results

We can bring together immune cell surface proteins that only activate in clusters. A DARPin candidate can link them to proteins that already cluster on the surface of tumors. The resulting aggregation initiates immune activation with reduced risk of systemic inflammation.

Growing the possibilities

With vast libraries of potential DARPins that can be rationally and rapidly combined and screened, we are constantly working to expand our technical capabilities and further unlock the potential of our DARPin platform to create new possibilities for novel therapeutics.