MRSA

IQ Therapeutics has developed human monoclonal antibodies that bind Staphylococcal surface antigens. The antibodies have a favorable safety profile for therapeutic and protective treatment in humans  and show protection of animals which have been lethally infected with MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

The antibodies can be applied as an alternative treatment for MRSA infections targeted at multiple novel S. aureus antigens.  In contrast to existing therapies, the treatment has a beneficial profile to prevent the development of resistant strains. The antibodies can be used as a safe treatment for prophylactic protection of patients at risk for MRSA infections and sepsis and as a safe therapeutic treatment of patients infected with MRSA.

Background

Staphylococcus aureus represents a serious world-wide public health burden, particularly within health care settings. Antibiotic resistant forms of S. aureus such as MRSA are prevalent within hospitals leading to significantly increased mortality and length of stay for patients. An alternative to antibiotics is the administration of pre-formed antibodies that can be given to individuals that develop, or are at a significant risk of developing, an infection. The major advantage of this approach is that it provides instant immunity at the time the antibodies are given.

Technology

IQ therapeutics has developed a technology to generate a combination of human antibodies directed at various well-selected S. aureus targets. These selected targets are (1) accessible for antibodies, (2) critical for bacterial virulence, (3) immunogenic, and (4) conserved in clinical S.aureus strains.

Next to target selection, IQ therapeutics has developed a technology to select blood donors that possess a pool of B-lymphocytes specific for the S.aureus targets. These specific B-lymphocytes are selected out of millions of blood lymphocytes, and used to generate monoclonal antibodies. This technology greatly increases the chance of our cloning success.

IQ Therapeutics has generated monoclonal antibodies against the first S.aureus surface targets. The human antibodies are highly specific for the antigen target, and are able to protect mice which were lethally exposed with staphylococcal sepsis.