Certain intracellular proteins critical for cellular function translocate to the surface of cancer cells, particularly when the cells are under stress. This relocation to the cell surface makes these targets particularly good candidates for ADC development. The production of monoclonal antibodies against intracellular targets may, however, reduce viability of the manufacturing cells, thus leading to significant challenges in the production of these antibodies.

MBrace has developed a novel, proprietary approach to the manufacture of antibodies against intracellular targets that allows sufficient expression of the antibodies while maintaining the function of the native target in the manufacturing cells or system. This approach allows these intracellular targets to be viable antibody drug targets – many for the very first time. MBrace has three international patent families pending covering production of antibodies to intracellular drug targets, including antibodies against the target of our second ADC program.