Monoclonal antibody cocktails as adjuvant antibiotic therapy

We aim to provide proof of concept for a novel way to treat bacterial infections. We propose to combine standard antibiotic treatment with carefully characterized cocktails of protective antibodies.

If successful, such an adjunctive therapy could, in the long term, even replace antibiotics in treating multiresistant bacteria.We have recently discovered protective antibodies to streptococci.

These antibodies are derived from humans that have successfully cleared bacterial infections, improving their chances of working in treating patients.

Their function and additive value will be further enhanced in an iterative protein engineering and functional testing process.Our team of experts covers antibody discovery, engineering, and both in vitro and in vivo testing of antibody function.

Typically, therapeutic antibodies are monoclonal blocking antibodies in the IgG1 subclass, and the potential of using multiple monoclonals, other subclasses, or harnessing immune-modulating functions has not been well explored.

We have established technology to be able to explore all of these aspects of antibody function and will determine the best antibody features for in vivo protection. Our concept provides an additional wide range of protective mechanisms to combat bacteria.

We start with one common pathogen, group A streptococcus, for which we have a long and productive track record of studying. Results from this proposal will pave the way for projects with multiresistant bacteria.