ABL Bio said on the 9th that it has secured a Colombian patent for an IGF1R antibody. The antibody is used in the Grabody-B technology, which helps drugs cross the blood-brain barrier. The patent rights are protected until 2040.
IGF1R transmits growth and survival signals in cells. ABL Bio found that IGF1R is expressed relatively highly in the blood-brain barrier compared with other tissues. Using this characteristic, it developed Grabody-B.
ABL Bio is pursuing commercialization, including the transfer of Grabody-B technology. Recently, in joint research with RNA corporations, it found that when Grabody-B is combined with small interfering RNA (siRNA), it can deliver siRNA not only across the blood-brain barrier but also to muscle, the heart, and the lungs.
Based on the research, ABL Bio plans to apply Grabody-B not only to existing antibodies but also to siRNA. It plans to broaden its indications to various diseases such as those affecting muscle. Indications are diseases for which a drug's therapeutic effect is expected, and expanding indications increases the number of patients who can be prescribed the drug.
Chief Executive Officer Lee Sang-hoon of ABL Bio said, "We are pursuing a strategy to use Grabody-B for new targets," adding, "As new opportunities are being identified in nonclinical studies, we plan to expand Grabody-B indications to obesity and muscle-related diseases."