Biologic drug development often grapples with inconsistent efficacy and potential side effects, issues largely linked to immune system responses. Biotech firm Kyron.bio has secured €5.5 million in new funding to advance their innovative approach of controlling glycans, sugar molecules on drug surfaces, to address these challenges. This funding will push the boundaries of drug design, facilitating therapies that could better resist immune attacks and target diseases with elevated precision.
Current and past concerns in the realm of biologic drug development often focused on the immune system perceiving therapeutic agents as foreign bodies, triggering detrimental immune responses. Historically, attempts to control drug surface structures have seen limited success, leading to varied drug efficacy. Comparison with earlier strategies highlights Kyron.bio’s advancement as unprecedented, leveraging genetic engineering for precise control over glycan structures on drugs.
How Does Glycan Control Impact Drug Development?
Kyron.bio’s strategy revolves around cutting-edge mastery over N-glycosylation, which allows specific glycan structures to adorn drug surfaces. Traditional manufacturing methods result in an inconsistent mix of glycan structures, posing risks of immune response while diminishing therapeutic effectiveness. By contrast, Kyron.bio’s method achieves an impressive 97% consistency, setting a new standard for drug development adaptability.
What Makes Kyron.bio’s Platform Innovative?
The foundation of Kyron.bio’s platform is the engineering of cell lines, specifically Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, and a proprietary glycan-engineering toolbox. These technological advancements enable refined control over the glycosylation process, offering new solutions to enhance drug performance and creating valuable intellectual property. Consequently, these innovations have potential implications for antibody engineering and disease-targeted therapies.
Investors such as HCVC and Verve Ventures have recognized the value of Kyron.bio’s breakthrough, significantly contributing to the recent funding round. Investors like Alexis Houssou acknowledge the potential paradigm shift in therapeutics that this technology may usher in, by bridging longstanding gaps in drug design methodology.
Dr. Emilia McLaughlin, the pioneering force behind Kyron.bio, articulates the transformative impact of fully harnessing precision glycan control in drug design. Her statement underscores the shift from underutilization to leveraging glycans as vital tools in their expansive portfolio of biologic therapeutics. With enhanced glycan precision, new treatment opportunities are surfacing for chronic disease management.
Looking forward, the fresh capital injection aims to expedite Kyron.bio’s glycan-engineering platform’s further development, broaden the company’s team, and support advanced preclinical studies. Advancements align with the launch of their EIC Transition project, underpinning a collaborative effort with the European Innovation Council to back novel biotech solutions.
Kyron.bio’s efforts suggest a promising trajectory in refining drug surface glycan configurations, specifically targeting therapeutic optimization without compromising safety. Their approach highlights potential for industry-wide application, marking significant progress in addressing biological drug development hurdles previously deemed daunting.
