Mirus Bio Announces Efficient New Genetic Immunization Method To Produce Antibodies

Scientists at Mirus Bio
Corporation have developed a genetic immunization technique for making
high-quality antibodies faster and more cheaply than by conventional methods.
This proprietary process is described in the February issue of the journal
BioTechniques. It involves an innovative new method of intravenously
injecting DNA into animals, whose immune systems respond by producing
antibodies that can be harvested for subsequent use.


Antibodies are part of the body's immune system. Because they can bind to
and neutralize specific antigens, such as proteins, viruses, and cancer cells,
they have become useful tools in medical diagnosis and scientific research.
Antibodies are also used for the targeted treatment of diseases, such as
cancer.


Conventional methods of generating antibodies require the slow process of
identifying, isolating, and purifying the protein which serves as the target
antigen. The resulting protein is then injected into animals to elicit an
antibody response, after which the antibodies are harvested and used for their
intended purpose. However, due to the processes employed, such purified
proteins may not be identical to the natural antigenic protein, and therefore
may not be as potent at eliciting an immune response. They can also be very
difficult to manufacture. The cost and uncertainty of this process, both in
dollars and time, represent significant hurdles. The new technique developed
at Mirus Bio bypasses these hurdles and enables research animals to naturally
produce antigenic proteins that elicit a potent antibody response. This
offers a higher quality antibody in less time at reduced cost.


"This represents yet another breakthrough application of our nucleic acid
delivery portfolio," notes Jon A. Wolff, M.D., Mirus Bio's Chief Scientific
Officer. This research was conducted by Mary Kay Bates, Hans Herweijer,
Ph.D., and their colleagues at Mirus Bio and the University of
Wisconsin-Madison.


This research tool is available for licensing for those who wish to use it
within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, either for internal
research or as part of a commercial antibody production service.


About Mirus Bio Corporation


Mirus Bio Corporation is a leader in the emerging fields of gene therapy
and RNA interference, based upon its expertise in nucleic acid chemistry and
delivery. The company currently markets state-of-the-art DNA and siRNA
transfection and labeling products to researchers worldwide. In addition, the
company is developing novel human therapeutics enabled by its proprietary
Pathway IV(TM) delivery platform. The company's lead therapeutic is a
treatment for Muscular Dystrophy, which is being developed collaboratively
with Transgene S.A. of Strasbourg, France.


Mirus Bio Corporation

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