WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leveragen, Inc., a Boston-based early-stage biotech company developing next-generation genetic models for antibody discovery, announced today that it has entered a multi-target research, option and license agreement with Moderna, Inc.
Under the agreement, Leveragen will employ its proprietary fully human single domain antibody discovery platform to generate a panel of optimized binding modules against therapeutic targets selected by Moderna. Moderna will have the option to secure exclusive rights for the subsequent development and commercialization of the therapeutic products.
“Existing models for single domain antibody discovery often encounter challenges including restricted antibody diversity and suboptimal immune responses. These issues are a direct result of the limitations associated with conventional transgenic technologies,” said Weisheng Chen, Founder and CEO of Leveragen. "We've solved these problems with a targeted approach, creating the Singularity Sapiens Mouse — an industry-leading model with the complete human VH repertoire and robust immune responses. Our partnership with Moderna further expands the potential of using single domain antibodies in mRNA therapeutics, offering promising opportunities to address unmet medical needs."
During this partnership, Leveragen will spearhead the discovery of single domain antibody sequences for various targets. If Moderna decides to exercise its commercial option, it will be responsible for further development and commercialization efforts.
Leveragen is set to receive an undisclosed upfront payment and research funding, along with development, regulatory and commercial milestones in addition to tiered royalties on global sales.
About Leveragen
Leveragen is a genetic engineering company with technologies designed to revolutionize the discovery of biologic modalities for next-generation therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Harnessing CRISPR gene editing and chromosome engineering technologies, we have extensively modified the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus to generate the Singularity Sapiens Mouse, which solely produces heavy chain antibodies from the complete human VH repertoire. Unlike conventional transgenic approaches, this targeted strategy eliminates all competing conventional antibodies, safeguards immunoglobulin gene regulation, and promotes normal B cell development and differentiation, resulting in robust immune responses and maximal antibody diversity. Employing an AI-powered, NGS-driven antibody discovery pipeline against several therapeutic targets, we have demonstrated that our platform generates fully human single domain antibodies with superior affinity, stability, solubility, and modularity.
Single domain antibodies, or nanobodies, are a compact, potent alternative to conventional antibody binders. Even though they're only 10% of the size, they retain high target binding affinities, exhibit enhanced tissue penetration, and can tackle otherwise inaccessible targets like G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). Their single-chain and monomeric structure make it easier to engineer them for various biological uses, such as multi-specific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates, as well as the development of mRNA and cell therapies.
