Twist Bioscience Announces Potent SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Data from COVID-19 Therapeutic Antibody Program
September 02 2020 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
-- Data compiled in collaboration with Saint
Louis University and independently verified by Colorado State
University --
Twist Bioscience Corporation (Nasdaq: TWST) today announced data
demonstrating the potent neutralizing effects of multiple potential
therapeutic antibodies, both Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and
substantially smaller single domain VHH “nanobodies,” against
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These neutralizing
effects were found to be comparable to or better than those seen
with antibody candidates derived from patients who had recovered
from COVID-19. The data were collected from studies conducted by
Saint Louis University and independently verified by scientists at
Colorado State University.
“These data are encouraging and provide powerful validation of
our ability to generate well characterized and potent antibodies
from our proprietary libraries. Importantly, the neutralizing
effects seen in these in vitro studies suggest that infections in
humans could be blocked,” said Emily M. Leproust, Ph.D., CEO and
cofounder of Twist. “We are now evaluating the best path forward
for these neutralizing antibodies to support the fight against
COVID-19.”
The in vitro studies involved testing more than 200 well
characterized monoclonal antibody and VHH nanobody candidates
against live virus and pseudovirus cells. Each antibody was chosen
for its high and unbiased binding affinity to either the receptor
binding domain of the S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 or the extracellular
domain of ACE2 in human cells. The candidates were identified by
Twist Biopharma, a division of Twist Bioscience, in just six weeks
by screening its proprietary synthetic antibody discovery libraries
each containing more than 10 billion antibody sequences, and within
months produced robust neutralization data in live virus cells. The
full data sets can be seen on the Twist website here and will be
submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
“All antibodies moving through clinical development for the
treatment of COVID-19 are full IgG antibodies and already show
promise in early studies,” said James D. Brien, Ph.D., of Saint
Louis University, School of Medicine. “The single domain (VHH)
nanobodies included in these neutralization assays may represent a
different therapeutic path to treat the disease. Given their very
small size in comparison to IgG antibodies, they may be able to
access epitopes on the virus that are unavailable to full
IgGs.”
“Neutralizing antibodies have the potential to provide
protective effects in treating patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection,”
commented Richard Bowen, D.V.M., Ph.D., of Colorado State
University. “The results from both the IgG and VHH antibodies
generated by Twist Biopharma warrant advancement of several of
these compounds into animal studies and potentially into human
clinical trials.”
About Twist Biopharma Antibodies
About 75 percent of the antibodies in the blood are IgGs. IgGs
are made up of two heavy protein chains and two light protein
chains that must pair together and cooperate to specifically
recognize a target, in this case the Spike Protein on SARS-CoV-2.
This specific targeting affords our immune systems “memory,”
allowing it to selectively and precisely eliminate pathogenic
threats.
Target recognition by VHH single domains, on the other hand,
requires just a single domain found on heavy chain only antibody.
With VHH-based antibodies able to exhibit pharmaceutically relevant
properties comparable to IgGs, they are a promising therapeutic
with several advantages over their bulkier, more complex,
counterparts. The small size of VHH antibodies means they can
squeeze into spaces and bind or block to parts of molecules that
would otherwise be inaccessible to human IgG antibodies. They are
also more thermally- and chemically-stable making VHH-based
therapeutics good candidates to address respiratory infections,
administered by inhaler directly to the respiratory tract where the
infection is concentrated. In addition, the small size simplifies
manufacturing of VHH antibodies.
In addition to SARS-CoV-2, Twist Biopharma discovers and
develops IgG and VHH antibodies to numerous different targets for
partners and internal development.
About Twist Bioscience Corporation
Twist Bioscience is a leading and rapidly growing synthetic
biology and genomics company that has developed a disruptive DNA
synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology. The
core of the platform is a proprietary technology that pioneers a
new method of manufacturing synthetic DNA by “writing” DNA on a
silicon chip. Twist is leveraging its unique technology to
manufacture a broad range of synthetic DNA-based products,
including synthetic genes, tools for next-generation sequencing
(NGS) preparation, and antibody libraries for drug discovery and
development. Twist is also pursuing longer-term opportunities in
digital data storage in DNA and biologics drug discovery. Twist
makes products for use across many industries including healthcare,
industrial chemicals, agriculture and academic research.
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Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All
statements other than statements of historical facts contained
herein, including but not limited to the effectiveness of the
monoclonal antibody and VHH nanobody candidates identified by Twist
Biopharma as therapeutics for COVID-19, are forward-looking
statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of
management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause Twist’s
actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially
different from any future results, performance, or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks
and uncertainties include, among others, the risks and
uncertainties of the duration, extent and impact of the COVID-19
pandemic, including any reductions in demand for our products (or
deferred or canceled orders) globally or in certain regions; the
ability to attract new customers and retain and grow sales from
existing customers; risks and uncertainties of rapidly changing
technologies and extensive competition in synthetic biology could
make the products Twist is developing obsolete or non-competitive;
uncertainties of the retention of a significant customer; supply
chain and other disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic or
otherwise; risks of third party claims alleging infringement of
patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate Twist’s
patents or proprietary rights; and the risk that Twist’s
proprietary rights may be insufficient to protect its technologies.
For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these
forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Twist’s
business in general, see Twist’s risk factors set forth in Twist’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 12, 2020 and subsequent filings
with the SEC. In addition, many of the foregoing risks and
uncertainties are, and could be, exacerbated by the COVID-19
pandemic and any worsening of global or regional business and
economic environment as a result. We cannot at this time predict
the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and any resulting
business or economic impact, but it could have a material adverse
effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations
and cash flows. Any forward-looking statements contained in this
press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Twist
Bioscience specifically disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
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Investor Contact: Argot Partners Maeve Conneighton 212-600-1902
maeve@argotpartners.com Media Contact: Angela Bitting 925-202-6211
media@twistbioscience.com
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