PipelineFlu Project
Antibodies development against Flu

Flu Project

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 9.3-41 million cases of symptomatic influenza-related illnesses annually in the United States (US), resulting in 4.3-21 million medical visits, 140,000-710,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000-52,000 deaths. Economically, the average cost attributed to annual flu epidemics in the US is estimated to be $ 11.2 billion. Indirect costs, such as absenteeism from paid employment, far exceed direct medical care expenses.

At the moment, there is still no definitive solution for influenza; seasonal vaccines and therapeutic drugs indeed have numerous limitations. Therefore, every alternative and broad-spectrum approach aids in the development of a more efficient prophylactic or therapeutic therapy.

OUR APPROACH

Pomona Ricerca identified two cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies, named PN-SIA28 and PN-SIA49.

PN-SIA28 Characteristics:

  • binding to group 1 and 2 hemagglutinins (HAs): recognizes 12 out of the 18 HAs
  • binding to the following key amino acid residues (A/PR/8/34): H25A, H45A, T315A, N336A, T358A, M360A, I361A, D362A, G363A, W364A, T384A, V395A, T392A and E400A
  • PN-SIA28/H1 (https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8GV5), PN-SIA28/H14 (https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8GV6), PN-SIA28/H18 (https://www.rcsb.org/structure/7WVG)  crystal structures 
  • in vitro neutralizing activity against H1, H3 (strain from 1968-1975), H4, H6, H8, H11, H14, and the recent HA reported in bat samples, H17 and H18 
  • in vivo therapeutic activity against H1 strains (A/WSN/33 (H1N1), A/Quebec/144147/09 (A[H1N1]pdm09))
  • in vivo therapeutic activity against A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2)
  • in vivo therapeutic and prophylactic activity against A/Shenzhen/TH002/2016 (H5N6) strain

PN-SIA49 Characteristics:

  • binding to group 1 hemagglutinins (HAs)
  • binding to the following key amino acid residues (A/PR/8/34): H25A, N336A, P338A, M360A, D362A, G363A, W364A, T384A, V395A, N396A e E400 
  • in vitro neutralizing activity against group 1 strains
  • in vivo therapeutic activity against group 1 strains (A/WSN/33 (H1N1), A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1))

PRECLINICAL DEVELOPMENT

  • establishment of CHO cell line expressing PN-SIA28 and PN-SIA49 by CellCa GMBH (Germany)
  • establishment of the research cell bank for PN-SIA28 by CellCa GMBH (Germany)