The European Patent Office has granted broad patent protection for the CureVac AG’s RNAntibody technology (patent No. EP2101823). RNAntibody is designed to enable the prolonged expression of functional antibodies and antibody-like proteins from mRNA. It is intended for use as a transient, long lasting and safe passive immunization technology in prophylactic and therapeutic settings.
RNAntibody technology can be applied in many disease indications including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. RNAntibody is a component of CureVac’s RNArt portfolio of molecular therapeutics that give the body the information required to produce its own functional proteins.
Mariola Fotin-Mleczek, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of CureVac, stated, “This patent significantly strengthens CureVac’s overall mRNA intellectual property estate and greatly enhances the value of RNAntibody, our proprietary technology for the development of mRNA-based antibodies. Having developed this technology for several years, CureVac has built a library of data demonstrating the potential of RNAntibody to enable the expression of antibodies by coding specific information into mRNA, which the body then receives and uses to produce its own, custom-tailored protein as medicine. We believe this patent family will serve as the standard bearer for any future therapeutic endeavors involving mRNA-based antibody technology given its broad composition of matter, production and methods of use protection, as well as its reach across multiple disease indications.”
In conjunction with the patent, CureVac presented data on its RNAntibody technology at the 4th International mRNA Health Conference in Boston, MA. In a talk by Dr. Nigel Horscroft, vice president development RNArt, and a poster by Dr. Thomas Schlake, Head of Enabling Technologies, the company demonstrated the utility and flexibility of the technology in multiple disease indications: High and sustained serum levels of antibodies were produced rapidly following a single administration of mRNA in vivo; Substantial levels of mRNA expressed human antibodies persisted for more than 28 days after one dose of in vivo application; In a rabies virus infection model, an mRNA encoded antibody was able to protect 100 percent, not only when administered before the challenge, but also in a post-exposure scenario; Data was also presented showing protection in two toxin-mediated disease models using mRNA-encoded single domain VHH antibodies; In the field of oncology, two approved antibody therapeutics, Blinatumomab and Rituximab, were adapted to mRNA format and protected animals in relevant tumor challenge models.
Dr. Fotin-Mleczek concluded, “mRNA-based therapies are set to revolutionize modern medicine. CureVac’s mission with RNAntibody is to accelerate antibody development times dramatically, to lower treatment costs and combine different antibody targets in a single formulation. Our technology also offers the potential to unlock a wealth of previously undruggable targets by efficiently producing proteins within cells and within specific subcellular compartments.”
Founded in 2000 as a spin-off from the University of T?bingen in Germany, CureVac is a technology leader in the development of drugs that are based on the molecule Messenger RNA (mRNA).