Streamlined Development Pathway for Next Generation Biologics
Genetic Polymers represent a flexible technology platform for efficiently creating follow-on protein biopharmaceuticals (also known as biosimilars) and novel biologics. The Genetic Polymer technology platform should be applicable to many different peptide- and protein-based pharmaceuticals with application in a wide array of malignant, inflammatory, infectious or other diseases. Aequus believes its Genetic Polymer technology platform may eliminate the need to develop an individualized technology for extending the plasma half-life of each peptide- or protein-based biopharmaceutical, thereby reducing development time and costs.
Genetic Polymers™
Aequus BioPharma, Inc. (Aequus) has an exclusive license to the Genetic Polymer technology developed by Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI). Genetic Polymers are comprised of a specified range of repeating peptide units, with each unit having an identical primary amino acid sequence, attached to a biologically active peptide or protein.
To construct a Genetic Polymer, the DNA sequence encoding a specific amino acid polymer is ligated to the DNA sequence encoding a biologically active peptide- or protein-based drug moiety in an expression vector designed for use in a bacterial, yeast, mammalian or other recombinant protein expression system. The amino acid polymer can be attached to either the N-terminus, C-terminus or both termini of a protein. Typically, DNA encoding a secretion leader sequence is included in the expression vector to drive secretion of the expressed protein to the extracellular space to facilitate recovery and purification.
A prototypical Genetic Polymer protein is depicted in the schematic shown below. It should be noted that potential post-translational modifications (PTM) present on more than one amino acid repeat are omitted for clarity.
Leveraging Biosimilars with Genetic Polymers
Many current protein pharmaceuticals have substandard pharmacological parameters, including plasma half-life, which have traditionally been addressed in follow-on formulations via a variety of trial and error methods, including site-specific amino acid substitution, conjugation to carrier domains and post-expression chemical conjugation. Aequus believes the Genetic Polymer technology platform could simplify the development and manufacture of follow-on biologics or biosimilars, reducing time to market and lowering costs.
Leveraging Novel Biologics with Genetic Polymers
Analogous to the biosimilars application, Aequus believes the Genetic Polymer technology platform could simplify the development and manufacture of novel peptide- and protein-based pharmaceuticals. Rather than using the traditional trial and error methods for augmenting the pharmacological properties of your biologic of interest, consider the streamlined approach offered by Aequus.
