Seminar

Multabodies: A novel platform to transform antibodies into broad and potent neutralizers

Edurne Rujas

Pathogenic RNA viruses represent a challenge for global disease control due to their diversity and rapid mutation rates. Antibodies are powerful biotherapeutic agents to fight viral infection, however, the spontaneous mutation rate of RNA viruses rapidly results in antiviral resistance. This represents a clinical roadblock for the deployment of antibodies to treat and prevent viral diseases. Using the human apoferritin protomer as a modular subunit to drive the multimerization of antibody fragments we have developed highly avid, multi-specific molecules termed Multabodies. We have leveraged this platform against two devastating pandemic viruses, SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 and show that the resulting molecules are able to efficiently overcome sequence diversity, and to do so with extraordinary potency. The modularity of the platform makes it relevant against indications where multispecificity and avidity are leveraged simultaneously to mediate optimal biological activity.