Cambridge Antibody Technology
Encyclopedia
Cambridge Antibody Technology (officially Cambridge Antibody Technology Group Plc, informally CAT) was a biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge
, United Kingdom
. Its core focus was on antibody therapeutics, primarily using phage display
and ribosome display
technology.
The technology developed by CAT was used to create adalimumab
, the first fully human antibody blockbuster drug. Humira, the brand name of adalimumab, is an anti-TNF antibody discovered by CAT as D2E7, then developed in the clinic and marketed by Abbott Laboratories
. The company was also behind belimumab
, GSK and HGSI's anti-BlyS antibody drug, marketed as Benlysta "the first new approved drug for systemic lupus in more than 50 years". Some report that this drug, along with Humira, is also expected to attain blockbuster status.
Founded in 1989, CAT was acquired by AstraZeneca
for £702m in 2006. AstraZeneca subsequently acquired MedImmune
LLC, which it combined with CAT to form a global biologics division called MedImmune, whose UK operations conduct business as MedImmune Limited. CAT was often described as the 'jewel in the crown' of the British biotechnology industry and during the latter years of its existence was the subject of frequent acquisition speculation.
and the Medical Research Council (UK)
(MRC). Subsequently, in January 1990 operations began at the MRC laboratories in Cambridge. In May of that year, operations moved to the Daly Research Laboratories at Babraham Institute
, Cambridge.
In 1992, CAT moved to Beech House on the Melbourn Science Park
to occupy units B1 and B2. In 1993 the company expanded into unit B3, into B4 into 1995, and in 1998 into units B5, B6, B8 and B9. CAT completed the occupation of Beech House by finally occupying B7 by the late 1990s.
CAT listed on the London Stock Exchange
in 1997, raising £43 million, and went through a second round of funding in 2000, raising over £90 million.
In 1999, CAT expanded into a second location in Melbourn called Cambridge House. After leaving Melbourn, CAT sold this location on to housing developers in early 2006.
In 2000, after a succession of deals that focussed on harnessing the exploitation of the human genome
, CAT's share price peaked at over £50 per share.
Also in 2000, CAT decided to move out of Melbourn to a science park
called Granta Park, roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) away. Of the buildings on the park, the first to be occupied was the Franklin Building followed, in late 2002, by a move to a new corporate headquarters at the Milstein Building.
The Franklin Building, named after Rosalind Franklin
, was formally opened in 2001 by David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville
. The Milstein Building was named after César Milstein
, and had a modular design with separate laboratory (46,000 sq ft) and administration blocks (21,000 sq ft). In the same year, CAT listed on the NASDAQ
.
When AstraZeneca acquired CAT in June 2006, plans were announced to occupy a new building on Granta Park, GP15, offering a further 92000 sq ft (8,547.1 m²). Refurbishment of this building took approximately 18 months and the building was officially opened, in November 2008, with the name Aaron Klug Building.
display. Polysome display involves the use of polysomes, a type of molecule responsible for protein synthesis within the human body, to display functional antibody proteins in vitro.". Three years later David Glover, CAT's Chief Medical Officer at the time, summarised the acquisition as one which essentially acquired Aptein's patent estate(See also CAT IP History)
"Under the terms of the agreement CAT purchased the issued share capital and outstanding share options and warrants of Aptein for a total consideration of up to $11 million satisfied by the issue of up to 2.366 million CAT shares (an implied CAT share price of 278p.) $6 million of the consideration was satisfied by the issue of 1.290 million CAT shares on closing. The balance of the consideration of up to $5 million will be satisfied by the issue of up to 1.076 million CAT shares after Aptein’s European patents have been sustained through opposition or appeal.In accordance with accounting standards the cost of acquiring this new technology has been capitalised and will be written off over the lives of the patents concerned.".
Aptein was founded by Glenn Kawasaki, who is currently, amongst other positions, CEO at Accium BioSciences.
According to an article published in Nature in 2002, that focused on the automation
of proteomics
,..."Normally, an mRNA molecule passes through the ribosome like ticker-tape and is released, along with the newly synthesized protein
molecule, when a sequence of three bases known as a 'stop codon
' is reached. In Aptein's technology, stop codons are eliminated so that the completed antibody and its mRNA remain bound together on the ribosome. The system, which CAT is now optimizing, is entirely cell-free and so is more amenable to automation. This should make it possible to construct libraries that are orders of magnitude larger than those created using phage display.".
CAT published on their optimisation work with Ribosome Display, including:
CAT used ribosome display to discover their anti-IL-13
monoclonal antibody, CAT-354, which is being developed by MedImmune.
revenue from CAT's products.
In January 2002, CAT made a share-based offer to buy DRC for £55 million so that it could buy out this royalty obligation. CAT valued DRC at C$3.00 a share, and this offer was initially recommended by the board of directors
of DRC. On 8 March 2002 the investment company Inwest made a competing offer valuing DRC at C$3.05 per share. CAT's offer would see DRC shareholders receiving CAT shares whilst Inwest's offer would see the DRC shareholder receiving cash. DRC's board of directors changed their decision and recommended Inwest's offer. After a number of deadline extensions from CAT the offer from Inwest was accepted by the DRC shareholders. Inwest purchased DRC on the 2 May 2002.
As a result of this failure to purchase DRC, CAT's right to buy back royalty interest was triggered at a cost to CAT of C$14 million (£6.2 million) by way of 463,818 CAT shares.
shareholders voted to approve the merger. In March of this year a decline in CAT's share price, coupled with initiating discussions regarding the applicability of the royalty offset provisions for HUMIRA with Abbott Laboratories, had a negative impact on the CAT share price depressing the value of CAT's offer.
On 26 February 2003 the British-based biotechnology group Celltech
subsequently made a hostile £101 million cash offer for OGS and began buying OGS shares. Some reported that this activity represented the UK biotechnology industry's first-ever bidding war. Despite this improved offer from Celltech, OGS continued to recommend the CAT offer.
Celltech continued to buy OGS shares and the OGS board pressed CAT to improve the terms of its offer as the Celltech shareholding reached 10.55%. OGS became alarmed that Celltech's share prurchase would prompt CAT to walk away because, under takeover rules, it would not be able to forcibly purchase the 10.55 per cent stake Celltech ownded. CAT failed to improve the terms of its bid forcing OGS to abandon the agreement.
Celltech continued buying shares and, as their stake reached 25%, so the board of OGS met to reluctantly recommend the Celltech offer. Celltech completed the purchase of OGS in April 2003. Some newspapers reported that the failure of the bid by CAT would means that CAT would have to cut some of its workforce. Celltech was itself purchased by the Belgian drugmaker UCB
in mid 2004.
products from Genencor, namely GCR-3888 and GCR-8015. Genencor is the biotechnology
division of Danisco
and the acquisition meant CAT would hire certain former Genencor key employees to be responsible for the development of the programmes.
GCR-3888 and GCR-8015 were discovered and initially developed by the National Cancer Institute
, which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health
. Genencor licensed the candidates for hematological malignancies and entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
(CRADA) with the NIH, which will now be continued by CAT. Under the original
license agreement with the NIH, CAT gained the rights to a portfolio of intellectual property associated with the programs and would pay future royalties to the NIH.
CAT intended to file an Investigational New Drug
(IND) application for GCR-8015 in various CD22 positive B-cell malignancies, including Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
and chronic lymphocytic leukemia
, following a period of manufacturing development which is expected to be complete by the end of 2006 and to support the NCI's ongoing development of GCR-3888 in Hairy cell leukemia
(HCL) and pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
(pALL).
CAT-8015 exhibited a greater affinity for CD22 than its predecessor, CAT-3888 and CAT's language such as "CAT will support the NCI's ongoing development of CAT-3888..." suggested at the time that their focus was on the second generation candidate.
such that variable antibody domains could be expressed on filamentous phage antibodies, as reported in a key Nature
publication.
Other key CAT publications included:
CAT developed their display technologies further into several, patented antibody discovery/functional genomics tools which were named ProximolTM and ProAbTM. ProAb was announced in December 1997 and involved highthroughput screening of antibody libraries against diseased and non-diseased tissue, whilst Proximol used a free radical enzymatic reaction to label molecules in proximity to a given protein.
In September 1999, it was announced that CAT's Library product and ProAb would each receive Millennium Products status. Of the 4,000 products submitted to the Design Council
for these awards, only 1,012 were chosen and, to attain Millennium Product status, products had to: open up new opportunities, challenge existing conventions, be environmentally responsible, demonstrate the application of new or existing technology, solve a key problem and show clear user benefits.
Three main families of major patents cover Cambridge antibody library and Phage Display technology:
'Winter II' and 'Winter/Huse/Lerner' patents cover Medimmune's processes for generating the collections of human antibody genes that comprise MedImmune Cambridge libraries. MedImmune has patents issued in Europe, South Korea, Japan, Australia and the US and a patent application is pending in Canada. These patents are co-owned by the MRC, The Scripps Research Institute
and Stratagene and MedImmune currently has exclusive commercial exploitation rights, subject to certain rights held by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Scripps and Stratagene and their pre-existing licensees.
'McCafferty' covers the process by which human antibodies are displayed on phage (Phage Display) and methods of selecting antibodies to desired targets from libraries. MedImmune has patents issued in Europe, Australia, South Korea and Japan and a patent application is pending in Canada. These patents are co-owned by MedImmune and the MRC.
'Griffiths' covers the use of Phage Display technology to isolate human anti-self' antibodies that specifically bind to molecules found in the human body. We have patents issued in Australia, Europe and the US and patent applications are pending in Canada and Japan. This patent is co-owned by MedImmune Cambridge and the MRC.
biotechnology
company MorphoSys
generates human antibodies using its phage display-based 'HuCal' (Human Combinatorial Antibody Library)technology. In the late 1990s both companies found themselves jockeying for strong IP position in the area of therapeutic human antibody generation by way of a specific dispute (details on MorphoSys page).
The long, and protracted, dispute resulted which was eventually settled in late 2002 when some argued the settlement was enforced by an industry cash crunch. The 'delighted' CEO at the time, Peter Chambré, reflected that the deal put an end to the distraction to both parties caused by the litigation.
.
Dave Chiswell was responsible for operational management of CAT from 1990 to 2002, including time as chief executive officer from 1996 to 2002. Chiswell announced he was standing down from CAT in November 2001 and, during his time at CAT, had established himself as a significant character in the biotechnology
business. In 2003, Chiswell became chairman of the BioIndustry Association, and in June 2006 was awarded an MBE
for UK Bioscience Industry in the UK Overseas.
Since leaving CAT, Chiswell focussed on the development of early stage biotechnology companies and held a number of positions including;
CAT was governed by a board and, latterly, a Scientific Advisory Board, both of which contained some eminent scientists and business people. These include:
Peter Chambré replaced Dave Chiswell as CEO in early 2002. Chambré had been the CEO of Bespak PLC since May 1994 and, in July 2000, became the chief operating officer of the genomics
company Celera. After CAT, Chambré went on to hold a number of positions including Chairman of ApaTech Ltd., in September 2006 appointed non-executive director of BTG plc and Spectrics pls and also advisor to 3i Group plc.
John McCafferty
developed much of the phage display technology used by CAT and has many publications to his name. McCafferty left CAT to start a group at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute where, as part of the ATLAS project, his group demonstrated the potential for large-scale high-throughput generation and validation of monoclonal antibodies
. This work built on CAT's ProAbTM technology. McCafferty currently runs the Cell
Interaction Group in the Department of Biochemistry at Cambridge University.
Kevin Johnson joined CAT in 1990, contributed to the discovery of D2E7, played a key role in CAT's Initial Public Offering
(IPO) and, by July 1997, was appointed to the Board as Research Director. In 2000, Johnson became Chief Technology Officer responsible for exploitation and development of CAT's technology platforms. In November 2002, CAT announced its intention to seek independent financing for its development of the application of antibodies on microarrays
for personalised medicine, as this fell outside CAT's focus on therapeutic antibodies and Johnson positively spearheaded this push. In the event it was not possible to procure finance for this activity and, as a result, all development activity at CAT was terminated.
Johnson left CAT and has since taken up several positions:
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Its core focus was on antibody therapeutics, primarily using phage display
Phage display
Phage display is a method for the study of protein–protein, protein–peptide, and protein–DNA interactions that uses bacteriophages to connect proteins with the genetic information that encodes them. Phage Display was originally invented by George P...
and ribosome display
Ribosome display
Ribosome display is a technique used to perform in vitro protein evolution to create proteins that can bind to a desired ligand. The process results in translated proteins that are associated with their mRNA progenitor which is used, as a complex, to bind to an immobilized ligand in a selection step...
technology.
The technology developed by CAT was used to create adalimumab
Adalimumab
Adalimumab is the third TNF inhibitor, after infliximab and etanercept, to be approved in the United States. Like infliximab and etanercept, adalimumab binds to TNFα, preventing it from activating TNF receptors; adalimumab was constructed from a fully human monoclonal antibody, while infliximab...
, the first fully human antibody blockbuster drug. Humira, the brand name of adalimumab, is an anti-TNF antibody discovered by CAT as D2E7, then developed in the clinic and marketed by Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is an American-based global, diversified pharmaceuticals and health care products company. It has 90,000 employees and operates in over 130 countries. The company headquarters are in Abbott Park, North Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded by Chicago physician, Dr....
. The company was also behind belimumab
Belimumab
Belimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-lymphocyte stimulator , also known as B cell activation factor of the TNF family...
, GSK and HGSI's anti-BlyS antibody drug, marketed as Benlysta "the first new approved drug for systemic lupus in more than 50 years". Some report that this drug, along with Humira, is also expected to attain blockbuster status.
Founded in 1989, CAT was acquired by AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc is a global pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by revenues and has operations in over 100 countries...
for £702m in 2006. AstraZeneca subsequently acquired MedImmune
MedImmune
MedImmune, LLC, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, became a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca in 2007. Since being acquired, MedImmune has remained a Maryland-based biotechnology development enterprise...
LLC, which it combined with CAT to form a global biologics division called MedImmune, whose UK operations conduct business as MedImmune Limited. CAT was often described as the 'jewel in the crown' of the British biotechnology industry and during the latter years of its existence was the subject of frequent acquisition speculation.
History
CAT was founded in 1989 by, amongst others, Dr. David Chiswell, Dr. Greg WinterGreg Winter
Sir Gregory Winter FRS is a British pioneer of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. He invented techniques to both humanise and, later, to fully humanise using phage display, antibodies for therapeutic uses...
and the Medical Research Council (UK)
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
(MRC). Subsequently, in January 1990 operations began at the MRC laboratories in Cambridge. In May of that year, operations moved to the Daly Research Laboratories at Babraham Institute
Babraham Institute
The Babraham Institute, set in an extensive parkland estate just south of Cambridge, is an independent charitable life sciences institute involved in biomedical research. The aim of this research is to discover the molecular mechanisms that underlie normal cellular processes and functions, and how...
, Cambridge.
In 1992, CAT moved to Beech House on the Melbourn Science Park
Melbourn Science Park
Melbourn Science Park is a science park located in the village of Melbourn, England, south of Cambridge.It is owned by The Technology Partnership group.Melbourn Science Park covers with nine buildings covering over .-External links:*...
to occupy units B1 and B2. In 1993 the company expanded into unit B3, into B4 into 1995, and in 1998 into units B5, B6, B8 and B9. CAT completed the occupation of Beech House by finally occupying B7 by the late 1990s.
CAT listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in 1997, raising £43 million, and went through a second round of funding in 2000, raising over £90 million.
In 1999, CAT expanded into a second location in Melbourn called Cambridge House. After leaving Melbourn, CAT sold this location on to housing developers in early 2006.
In 2000, after a succession of deals that focussed on harnessing the exploitation of the human genome
Human genome
The human genome is the genome of Homo sapiens, which is stored on 23 chromosome pairs plus the small mitochondrial DNA. 22 of the 23 chromosomes are autosomal chromosome pairs, while the remaining pair is sex-determining...
, CAT's share price peaked at over £50 per share.
Also in 2000, CAT decided to move out of Melbourn to a science park
Science park
A research park, science park, or science and technology park is an area with a collection of buildings dedicated to scientific research on a business footing. There are many approximate synonyms for "science park", including research park, technology park, technopolis and biomedical park...
called Granta Park, roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) away. Of the buildings on the park, the first to be occupied was the Franklin Building followed, in late 2002, by a move to a new corporate headquarters at the Milstein Building.
The Franklin Building, named after Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind Elsie Franklin was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer who made critical contributions to the understanding of the fine molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite...
, was formally opened in 2001 by David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville
David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville
David John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville, FRS , is a British businessman and politician. From 1992 to 1997, he served as the Chairman of Sainsbury's . He was made a life peer in 1997, and currently sits in the House of Lords as a member of the Labour Party...
. The Milstein Building was named after César Milstein
César Milstein
César Milstein FRS was an Argentine biochemist in the field of antibody research. Milstein shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 with Niels K. Jerne and Georges Köhler.-Biography:...
, and had a modular design with separate laboratory (46,000 sq ft) and administration blocks (21,000 sq ft). In the same year, CAT listed on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
.
When AstraZeneca acquired CAT in June 2006, plans were announced to occupy a new building on Granta Park, GP15, offering a further 92000 sq ft (8,547.1 m²). Refurbishment of this building took approximately 18 months and the building was officially opened, in November 2008, with the name Aaron Klug Building.
Aptein Inc.
On the 15 July 1998, CAT completed the acquisition of Aptein Inc. This acquisition "...further strengthened its world leading position in antibody display technology...giving CAT controlling patents in the field of polysomePolysome
Polyribosomes also known as ergosomes are a cluster of ribosomes, bound to a mRNA molecule, first discovered and characterized by Jonathan Warner, Paul Knopf, and Alex Rich in 1963. Many ribosomes read one mRNA simultaneously, progressing along the mRNA to synthesize the same protein...
display. Polysome display involves the use of polysomes, a type of molecule responsible for protein synthesis within the human body, to display functional antibody proteins in vitro.". Three years later David Glover, CAT's Chief Medical Officer at the time, summarised the acquisition as one which essentially acquired Aptein's patent estate(See also CAT IP History)
"Under the terms of the agreement CAT purchased the issued share capital and outstanding share options and warrants of Aptein for a total consideration of up to $11 million satisfied by the issue of up to 2.366 million CAT shares (an implied CAT share price of 278p.) $6 million of the consideration was satisfied by the issue of 1.290 million CAT shares on closing. The balance of the consideration of up to $5 million will be satisfied by the issue of up to 1.076 million CAT shares after Aptein’s European patents have been sustained through opposition or appeal.In accordance with accounting standards the cost of acquiring this new technology has been capitalised and will be written off over the lives of the patents concerned.".
Aptein was founded by Glenn Kawasaki, who is currently, amongst other positions, CEO at Accium BioSciences.
According to an article published in Nature in 2002, that focused on the automation
Automation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
of proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
,..."Normally, an mRNA molecule passes through the ribosome like ticker-tape and is released, along with the newly synthesized protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
molecule, when a sequence of three bases known as a 'stop codon
Stop codon
In the genetic code, a stop codon is a nucleotide triplet within messenger RNA that signals a termination of translation. Proteins are based on polypeptides, which are unique sequences of amino acids. Most codons in messenger RNA correspond to the addition of an amino acid to a growing polypeptide...
' is reached. In Aptein's technology, stop codons are eliminated so that the completed antibody and its mRNA remain bound together on the ribosome. The system, which CAT is now optimizing, is entirely cell-free and so is more amenable to automation. This should make it possible to construct libraries that are orders of magnitude larger than those created using phage display.".
CAT published on their optimisation work with Ribosome Display, including:
- "An improved method for an efficient and easily accessible eukaryotic ribosome display technology"; Protein Engineering Design and Selection: Volume 19, Number 2, Pages 85–90.
- "Harnessing phage and ribosome display for antibody optimisation"; Trends in Biotechnology: Volume 24, Issue 11, November 2006, Pages 523-529.
- "Applications of ribosome display to antibody drug discovery"; Maria AT Groves and Jane K Osbourn; Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy January 2005, Vol. 5, No. 1, Pages 125-135.
CAT used ribosome display to discover their anti-IL-13
Interleukin 13
Interleukin 13 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL13 gene. IL-13 is cytokine secreted by many cell types, but especially T helper type 2 cells, that is a mediator of allergic inflammation and disease.-Functions:...
monoclonal antibody, CAT-354, which is being developed by MedImmune.
Drug Royalty Corporation Inc.
In 1994, CAT signed a royalty deal with Drug Royalty Corporation Inc. (DRC) such that DRC would receive future royaltyRoyalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
revenue from CAT's products.
In January 2002, CAT made a share-based offer to buy DRC for £55 million so that it could buy out this royalty obligation. CAT valued DRC at C$3.00 a share, and this offer was initially recommended by the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of DRC. On 8 March 2002 the investment company Inwest made a competing offer valuing DRC at C$3.05 per share. CAT's offer would see DRC shareholders receiving CAT shares whilst Inwest's offer would see the DRC shareholder receiving cash. DRC's board of directors changed their decision and recommended Inwest's offer. After a number of deadline extensions from CAT the offer from Inwest was accepted by the DRC shareholders. Inwest purchased DRC on the 2 May 2002.
As a result of this failure to purchase DRC, CAT's right to buy back royalty interest was triggered at a cost to CAT of C$14 million (£6.2 million) by way of 463,818 CAT shares.
Oxford Glycosciences
On 23 January 2003 CAT made a share-based offer for Oxford Glycosciences (OGS) and at an Extraordinary General MeetingExtraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting, commonly abbreviated as EGM, is a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders of a company, or employees of an official body, which occurs at an irregular time. The term is usually used where the group would ordinarily hold an annual general meeting , but...
shareholders voted to approve the merger. In March of this year a decline in CAT's share price, coupled with initiating discussions regarding the applicability of the royalty offset provisions for HUMIRA with Abbott Laboratories, had a negative impact on the CAT share price depressing the value of CAT's offer.
On 26 February 2003 the British-based biotechnology group Celltech
Celltech
Celltech Group plc was a leading British-based biotechnology business based in Slough. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
subsequently made a hostile £101 million cash offer for OGS and began buying OGS shares. Some reported that this activity represented the UK biotechnology industry's first-ever bidding war. Despite this improved offer from Celltech, OGS continued to recommend the CAT offer.
Celltech continued to buy OGS shares and the OGS board pressed CAT to improve the terms of its offer as the Celltech shareholding reached 10.55%. OGS became alarmed that Celltech's share prurchase would prompt CAT to walk away because, under takeover rules, it would not be able to forcibly purchase the 10.55 per cent stake Celltech ownded. CAT failed to improve the terms of its bid forcing OGS to abandon the agreement.
Celltech continued buying shares and, as their stake reached 25%, so the board of OGS met to reluctantly recommend the Celltech offer. Celltech completed the purchase of OGS in April 2003. Some newspapers reported that the failure of the bid by CAT would means that CAT would have to cut some of its workforce. Celltech was itself purchased by the Belgian drugmaker UCB
UCB (company)
UCB is a multinational biopharmaceutical manufacturing company headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.- History :UCB was founded on 18 January 1928 by Emmanuel Janssen, a Belgian businessman...
in mid 2004.
Genencor
On the 1 November 2005 CAT announced it was acquiring two anti-CD22 immunotoxinAnti-CD22 immunotoxin
Anti-CD22 immunotoxin is a monoclonal antibody linked to a toxic substance. They are being studied in the treatment of some types of B-cell cancer....
products from Genencor, namely GCR-3888 and GCR-8015. Genencor is the biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
division of Danisco
Danisco
Danisco A/S is a Danish bio-based company with activities in food production, enzymes and other bioproducts as well as a wide variety of pharmaceutical grade excipients. It was formed in 1989 from the largest Danish industrial merger ever of the two old C.F...
and the acquisition meant CAT would hire certain former Genencor key employees to be responsible for the development of the programmes.
GCR-3888 and GCR-8015 were discovered and initially developed by the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
, which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
. Genencor licensed the candidates for hematological malignancies and entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
In the United States, a cooperative research and development agreement is an agreement between a government agency and a private company to work together on research and development.-Description:...
(CRADA) with the NIH, which will now be continued by CAT. Under the original
license agreement with the NIH, CAT gained the rights to a portfolio of intellectual property associated with the programs and would pay future royalties to the NIH.
CAT intended to file an Investigational New Drug
Investigational New Drug
The United States Food and Drug Administration's Investigational New Drug program is the means by which a pharmaceutical company obtains permission to ship an experimental drug across state lines before a marketing application for the drug has been approved...
(IND) application for GCR-8015 in various CD22 positive B-cell malignancies, including Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of blood cancers that include any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's lymphomas. Types of NHL vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive....
and chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia , also known as chronic lymphoid leukemia , is the most common type of leukemia. Leukemias are cancers of the white blood cells . CLL affects B cell lymphocytes. B cells originate in the bone marrow, develop in the lymph nodes, and normally fight infection by...
, following a period of manufacturing development which is expected to be complete by the end of 2006 and to support the NCI's ongoing development of GCR-3888 in Hairy cell leukemia
Hairy cell leukemia
Hairy cell leukemia is an uncommon hematological malignancy characterized by an accumulation of abnormal B lymphocytes. It is usually classified as a sub-type of chronic lymphoid leukemia...
(HCL) and pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a form of leukemia, or cancer of the white blood cells characterized by excess lymphoblasts.Malignant, immature white blood cells continuously multiply and are overproduced in the bone marrow. ALL causes damage and death by crowding out normal cells in the bone...
(pALL).
CAT-8015 exhibited a greater affinity for CD22 than its predecessor, CAT-3888 and CAT's language such as "CAT will support the NCI's ongoing development of CAT-3888..." suggested at the time that their focus was on the second generation candidate.
Collaborations
CAT entered into many collaborations with technology and pharmaceutical companies, including:- SearleG. D. Searle & CompanyG.D. Searle & Company or just Searle was a company focusing on life sciences, specifically pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and animal health. It is now part of Pfizer.- History :...
, 1999 - CAT signed, what was at the time, their biggest deal with Searle, the pharmaceutical arm of MonsantoMonsantoThe Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
. In 2000, Pharmacia & Upjohn merged with Monsanto and Searle to create Pharmacia Corporation. In 2003, PfizerPfizerPfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
acquired Pharmacia. It is unsure as to whether the deal with Searle generated any clinical candidates.
- Human Genome SciencesHuman Genome SciencesHuman Genome Sciences is a biopharmaceutical corporation founded in 1992. It uses the human DNA sequence to develop protein and antibody drugs. As of 2008, it has drugs under development to treat such diseases as hepatitis C, systemic lupus erythmatosis, anthrax disease, cancer, rheumatoid...
, 2000. This deal generated, amongst others;- An anti-BLyS antibody — registered by HGSI as LymphoStat-B, also known as belimumabBelimumabBelimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-lymphocyte stimulator , also known as B cell activation factor of the TNF family...
, and subsequently branded as BENLYSTABelimumabBelimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-lymphocyte stimulator , also known as B cell activation factor of the TNF family...
. On 16 November 2010 HGSI and GlaxosmithklineGlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
announced the vote of the FDA advisory committee to recommend approval of BENLYSTABelimumabBelimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-lymphocyte stimulator , also known as B cell activation factor of the TNF family...
for Systemic Lupus ErythemstosusLupusLupus most commonly refers to the disease systemic lupus erythematosus.Lupus may also refer to:-Medicine:* Lupus erythematosus, a chronic autoimmune disease with several different forms...
. On 9 March 2011 the FDA voted 11 to 2 in favour of approving Benlysta "to treat patients with active, autoantibody-positive lupus who are receiving standard therapy, including corticosteroids, antimalarials, immunosuppressives, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs". - An anthraxAnthraxAnthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
therapeutic antibody — registered by HGSI as ABthrax, also known as raxibacumabRaxibacumabRaxibacumab is a human monoclonal antibody intended for the prophylaxis and treatment of inhaled anthrax. Its efficacy has been proved in rabbits and monkeys. , the drug has reached stage three clinical testing in humans....
. - Two anti-TRAIL receptor antibodies — HGS-ETR1 (mapatumumabMapatumumabMapatumumab is a human monoclonal antibody designed for the treatment of cancer.This drug was discovered by Cambridge Antibody Technology and Human Genome Sciences, Inc...
) and HGS-ETR2 (lexatumumabLexatumumabLexatumumab is an agonistic human monoclonal antibody against TRAIL-R2 used in the treatment of cancer.HGS-ETR2 antibodies were generated by HGS through a collaboration with Cambridge Antibody Technology....
). Early work by CAT and HGS scientists showed that HGS-ETR1 induces cell death in certain tumour types. Following this data, HGS exercised an option to enter into an exclusive development partnership for the antibody.
- An anti-BLyS antibody — registered by HGSI as LymphoStat-B, also known as belimumab
- GenzymeGenzymeGenzyme Corporation is a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis. Before its acquisition, Genzyme was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, Genzyme was the world’s third-largest biotechnology company, employing more than 11,000 people around the world...
, 2000. CAT held significant strength in the area of TGF beta with two products already — CAT-152 and CAT-192. The deal with Genzyme was "a broad strategic alliance to develop and commercialise human monoclonal antibodies directed against TGF-beta." All clinical indications, with the exception of ophthalmic uses, were covered by the agreement.- The deal resulted in GC1008, a pan-neutralizing IgG4 human antibody directed against all three isoforms of TGF beta, which had the "potential for treating a variety of diseases". In particular Genzyme are currently using GC1008 in trials involcing immunogenic tumours.
- The takeover of CAT by AstraZeneca initiated a change of control clause in the 2008 agreement that gives Genzyme the right to buy out rights to a jointly developed experimental lung drug.
- Immunex Corp, 2000. CAT's proprietary antibody phage display library for the discovery, development and potential commercialization of human monoclonal antibodies was licensed to Immunex, in return for a licence fee. This deal was expanded in May 2001 where CAT shared more of the risk of drug development — a so-called "profit-sharing" deal. In 2002 Immunex was acquired by AmgenAmgenAmgen Inc. is an international biotechnology company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. Located in the Conejo Valley, Amgen is the world's largest independent biotech firm. The company employs approximately 17,000 staff members. Its products include Epogen, Aranesp, Enbrel, Kineret,...
and in December 2003 CAT entered into a new, restructured agreement with Amgen, reportedly focussing in skin disease. It was also reported that, under the terms of the agreement, Amgen had taken responsibility for the further development and marketing of the therapeutic antibody candidates isolated by CAT against two targets on which the parties agreed to collaborate and would bear all the associated costs. In return, CAT received from Amgen an initial fee and potential milestone payments and royalties on future sales. As of February 2004, one candidate had been delivered by CAT to Amgen. A second candidate was the subject of a continuing research program funded by Amgen and conducted by CAT and was to be delivered to Amgen in due course.- Amgen acquired the transgenic mouse company Abgenix meaning that they had access to two different methods of human monoclonal antibody production. As of July 2009, it is not know from which technology any of their monoclonal antibody products in clinical trials have been derived.
- AMRAD, 2001. AMRAD subsequently changed its name to Zenyth Therapeutics and, in mid 2006, Zenyth was acquired by CSL LimitedCSL LimitedCSL Limited is a global specialty biopharmaceutical company that researches, develops, manufactures and markets products to treat and prevent serious human medical conditions...
. CAT and AMRAD had gone 50:50 with the original deal over the development of an anti-GMCSF-R antibody, which became CAM-3001. After all this corporate manoeuvring, "CSL decided to license its 50% share in the project to MedImmune...MedImmune commenced Phase I clinical trials in December 2007".
Publications
Scientists at CAT pioneered the use of phage displayPhage display
Phage display is a method for the study of protein–protein, protein–peptide, and protein–DNA interactions that uses bacteriophages to connect proteins with the genetic information that encodes them. Phage Display was originally invented by George P...
such that variable antibody domains could be expressed on filamentous phage antibodies, as reported in a key Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
publication.
Other key CAT publications included:
Products
CAT had a number of significant products in the pipeline. These included:- D2E7AdalimumabAdalimumab is the third TNF inhibitor, after infliximab and etanercept, to be approved in the United States. Like infliximab and etanercept, adalimumab binds to TNFα, preventing it from activating TNF receptors; adalimumab was constructed from a fully human monoclonal antibody, while infliximab...
— a human monoclonal antibody to Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF alpha). This went on to be developed and marketed by Abbott Laboratories as HUMIRA. The royalties payable on Adalimumab sales were subject to a dispute between the two companies. - ABT-874 — a human monoclonal antibody to IL-12Interleukin 12Interleukin 12 is an interleukin that is naturally produced by dendritic cells, macrophages and human B-lymphoblastoid cells in response to antigenic stimulation.-Gene and structure:...
and IL-23Interleukin 23Interleukin-23 subunit alpha is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL23A gene. IL-23 is produced by dendritic cells and macrophages...
. This went on to be developed by Abbott Laboratories for treatment of psoriasisPsoriasisPsoriasis is an autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. However, psoriasis has been linked to an increased risk of...
and Crohn's diseaseCrohn's diseaseCrohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
. This molecule is now called BriakinumabBriakinumabBriakinumab is a human monoclonal antibody being developed by Abbott Laboratories for the treatment of psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis....
and on 11 October 2010 Abbott presented positive Phase III data. - CAT-192MetelimumabMetelimumab is a human IgG4 monoclonal antibody that neutralizes TGF beta 1 which had been chosen for further development for the treatment of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma...
and GC1008Anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody GC1008Anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody GC1008 is a monoclonal antibody being studied in the treatment of kidney cancer, melanoma, and pulmonary fibrosis. Monoclonal antibodies are made in the laboratory and can locate and bind to substances in the body, including cancer cells...
— are human monoclonal antibodies to Transforming Growth Factor beta 1TGF beta 1Transforming growth factor beta 1 or TGF-β1 is a polypeptide member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily of cytokines. It is a secreted protein that performs many cellular functions, including the control of cell growth, cell proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis...
. CAT-192 was named metelimumabMetelimumabMetelimumab is a human IgG4 monoclonal antibody that neutralizes TGF beta 1 which had been chosen for further development for the treatment of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma...
and initial trials targeted the skin condition sclerodermaSclerodermaSystemic sclerosis or systemic scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease or systemic connective tissue disease that is a subtype of scleroderma.-Skin symptoms:...
but, after some unsuccessful clinical trial results, the product was dropped in favour of GC1008Anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody GC1008Anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody GC1008 is a monoclonal antibody being studied in the treatment of kidney cancer, melanoma, and pulmonary fibrosis. Monoclonal antibodies are made in the laboratory and can locate and bind to substances in the body, including cancer cells...
, which is currently being developed by GenzymeGenzymeGenzyme Corporation is a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis. Before its acquisition, Genzyme was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, Genzyme was the world’s third-largest biotechnology company, employing more than 11,000 people around the world...
. - CAT-152 — a human monoclonal antibody to TGF beta 2, this product was initially developed to combat fibrotic scarring that results from glaucoma drainage surgery. CAT-152 was named lerdelimumabLerdelimumabLerdelimumab is a human monoclonal antibody and an immunosuppressive drug developed to reduce scarring after glaucoma drainage surgery....
, then branded Trabio, and development was stop in late 2005 after unsuccessful trial results. - CAT-213BertilimumabBertilimumab is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to eotaxin-1.It was discovered by Cambridge Antibody Technology using their phage display technology. Named CAT-213 during early discovery and development by CAT, it was to be used to treat severe allergic disorders.In January 2007, CAT...
— a human monoclonal antibody to eotaxinEotaxinEotaxin may refer to:* CCL11 * CCL24 * CCL26...
1, which was formally named BertilimumabBertilimumabBertilimumab is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to eotaxin-1.It was discovered by Cambridge Antibody Technology using their phage display technology. Named CAT-213 during early discovery and development by CAT, it was to be used to treat severe allergic disorders.In January 2007, CAT...
. In January 2007, CAT licensed the drug for treatment of allergy disorders to iCo Therapeutics Inc. who renamed it from CAT-213 to iCo-008. - CAM-3001 — a human monoclonal igG4 antibody to the alpha chain of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF Receptor). In 2007, some elements of the local press suggested this product could be the next HUMIRA. CAM-3001 is currently being developed by MedImmune in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and mentioned in the rheumatology section of AstraZeneca's pipeline in their 2008 Annual Report. The first clinical trial was initiated by MedImmune in late 2007.
- CAT-354 — human monoclonal antibody (IgG4) that potently and specifically neutralizes interleukin 13Interleukin 13Interleukin 13 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL13 gene. IL-13 is cytokine secreted by many cell types, but especially T helper type 2 cells, that is a mediator of allergic inflammation and disease.-Functions:...
, a T-lymphocyte-derived cytokine that plays a key role in the development and maintenance of the human asthmatic phenotype. CAT-354 was CAT's first antibody to be discovered using ribosome display, and is being developed by MedImmune. - CAT-3888 and CAT-8015 - CAT-3888 (formerly GCR-3888 and BL22) and CAT-8015 (formerly GCR-8015 and HA22) are both anti-CD22 immunotoxins comprising a modified Pseudomonas exotoxinPseudomonas exotoxinThe Pseudomonas exotoxin is an exotoxin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.It inhibits elongation factor-2. It does so by ADP-ribosylation of EF2. This then causes the elongation of polypeptides to cease.It has been investigated as a treatment for hepatitis B....
and an anti-CD22CD22CD22 or cluster of differentiation-22, is a molecule belonging to the SIGLEC family of lectins. It is found on the surface of mature B cells and to a lesser extent on some immature B cells...
antibody fragment. CAT acquired these two oncology product candidates in November 2005 from Genencor, a subsidiary of DaniscoDaniscoDanisco A/S is a Danish bio-based company with activities in food production, enzymes and other bioproducts as well as a wide variety of pharmaceutical grade excipients. It was formed in 1989 from the largest Danish industrial merger ever of the two old C.F...
. CAT-8015 is being developed by MedImmune. - CAT-5001 (formerly SS1P) - is a Pseudomonas exotoxinPseudomonas exotoxinThe Pseudomonas exotoxin is an exotoxin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.It inhibits elongation factor-2. It does so by ADP-ribosylation of EF2. This then causes the elongation of polypeptides to cease.It has been investigated as a treatment for hepatitis B....
immunotoxinImmunotoxinAn immunotoxin is a human-made protein that consists of a targeting portion linked to a toxin. When the protein binds to that cell, it is taken in through endocytosis, and the toxin kills the cell...
that targets mesothelinMesothelinMesothelin also known as MSLN is a protein that in humans is encoded by the MSLN gene.- Function :Mesothelin is a 40kDa protein present on normal mesothelial cells and overexpressed in several human tumors, including mesothelioma and ovarian and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The protein was first...
, which is a cell surface glycoproteinGlycoproteinGlycoproteins are proteins that contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to polypeptide side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glycosylation. In proteins that have segments extending...
present on normal mesothelial cells that is overexpressed in numerous cancers including pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomaPeritoneal mesotheliomaPeritoneal mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer affects the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen and which also provides a lubricating fluid to enable the organs to move and work properly.The peritoneum is made of two...
, ovarian cancerOvarian cancerOvarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
and pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. CAT-5001 was acquired from Enzon Pharmaceuticals in May 2006.
CAT developed their display technologies further into several, patented antibody discovery/functional genomics tools which were named ProximolTM and ProAbTM. ProAb was announced in December 1997 and involved highthroughput screening of antibody libraries against diseased and non-diseased tissue, whilst Proximol used a free radical enzymatic reaction to label molecules in proximity to a given protein.
In September 1999, it was announced that CAT's Library product and ProAb would each receive Millennium Products status. Of the 4,000 products submitted to the Design Council
Design Council
The Design Council is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter and registered as a charity.Registered charity number 272099.- In the beginning :The Design Council started in 1944 as the Council of Industrial Design...
for these awards, only 1,012 were chosen and, to attain Millennium Product status, products had to: open up new opportunities, challenge existing conventions, be environmentally responsible, demonstrate the application of new or existing technology, solve a key problem and show clear user benefits.
Patents
CAT pioneered the application of Phage Display and Ribosome Display technology for the design and development of human monoclonal antibody therapeutics and which was reflected in the breadth of the company's patent portfolio. The Cambridge patent portfolio includes about 40 families of patents, covering both technologies and products.Three main families of major patents cover Cambridge antibody library and Phage Display technology:
'Winter II' and 'Winter/Huse/Lerner' patents cover Medimmune's processes for generating the collections of human antibody genes that comprise MedImmune Cambridge libraries. MedImmune has patents issued in Europe, South Korea, Japan, Australia and the US and a patent application is pending in Canada. These patents are co-owned by the MRC, The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is an American medical research facility that focuses on research in the basic biomedical sciences. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, with a sister facility in Jupiter, Florida, the institute is home to 3,000 scientists, technicians, graduate students, and...
and Stratagene and MedImmune currently has exclusive commercial exploitation rights, subject to certain rights held by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Scripps and Stratagene and their pre-existing licensees.
'McCafferty' covers the process by which human antibodies are displayed on phage (Phage Display) and methods of selecting antibodies to desired targets from libraries. MedImmune has patents issued in Europe, Australia, South Korea and Japan and a patent application is pending in Canada. These patents are co-owned by MedImmune and the MRC.
'Griffiths' covers the use of Phage Display technology to isolate human anti-self' antibodies that specifically bind to molecules found in the human body. We have patents issued in Australia, Europe and the US and patent applications are pending in Canada and Japan. This patent is co-owned by MedImmune Cambridge and the MRC.
List of Patents
| Winter II | Winter/Huse/Lerner | McCafferty | Griffiths | Kawasaki | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT Publication Number | WO90/05144 | WO90/14424 | WO90/14430 | WO92/01047 | WO93/11236 | WO91/05058 |
| US | US6,248,516, US6,545,142 | US6,291,158, US6,291,159 | US6,291,160, US6,291,161, US6,680,192 | US5,969,108, US6,172,197, US6,806,079 | US5,885,793, US6,521,404 ,US6,544,731, US6,555,313, US6,593,081, US6,582,915 | US5,643,768, US5,658,754 |
| Europe | EP0368684 | EP0472638 | EP0425661, EP1026239 (pending as of July 2009) | EP0589877, EP0774511, EP0844306 (pending as of July 2009) | EP0616640, EP1024191 (pending as of July 2009) | EP0494955 |
| Australia | AU0634186 | AU651065 | AU643948 | AU0664155 | AU0665221 | AU038762 |
| Japan | JP02919890 | JP3321159 | 2-508759 | JP03176917 | 5-509967 (pending as of July 2009) | JP03127158, 2000-240298 (pending as of July 2009) |
| Canada | 2002868 (pending as of July 2009) | CA2016841 | 2016842 | 2086936 (pending as of July 2009) | 2124460 (pending as of July 2009) | CA2067194 |
| South Korea | KR0184860 | - | - | KR0222326 | - | KR0185192, KR0204359, KR0204360 |
| Denmark | DK175392 | - | - | - | - | - |
Patent Dispute with MorphoSys
The GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company MorphoSys
MorphoSys
MorphoSys AG is a German biotechnology company. It is involved in the development and research of antibodies. TecDAX has listed MorphoSys since 2004.-Technology:MorphoSys generates human antibodies that contain 100% human proteins...
generates human antibodies using its phage display-based 'HuCal' (Human Combinatorial Antibody Library)technology. In the late 1990s both companies found themselves jockeying for strong IP position in the area of therapeutic human antibody generation by way of a specific dispute (details on MorphoSys page).
The long, and protracted, dispute resulted which was eventually settled in late 2002 when some argued the settlement was enforced by an industry cash crunch. The 'delighted' CEO at the time, Peter Chambré, reflected that the deal put an end to the distraction to both parties caused by the litigation.
Management and notable people
CAT was founded by David Chiswell and Greg Winter, with major scientific contributions from John McCaffertyJohn McCafferty
John McCafferty is a British scientist, one of the founders of Cambridge Antibody Technology, well known as one of the inventors of scFv antibody fragment phage display, a technology that revolutionised the monoclonal antibody drug discovery...
.
Dave Chiswell was responsible for operational management of CAT from 1990 to 2002, including time as chief executive officer from 1996 to 2002. Chiswell announced he was standing down from CAT in November 2001 and, during his time at CAT, had established himself as a significant character in the biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
business. In 2003, Chiswell became chairman of the BioIndustry Association, and in June 2006 was awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
for UK Bioscience Industry in the UK Overseas.
Since leaving CAT, Chiswell focussed on the development of early stage biotechnology companies and held a number of positions including;
- April 2005, Non-executive Chairman of Sosei Ltd
- May 2002, Deputy Chairman Arrow Therapeutics Ltd
- January 2005, Non-executive Chairman Daniolabs Ltd
- Director of Arakis Ltd
- Executive Chairman of Albireo Ltd
- Advisor to NomuraNomuraNomura Nomura Nomura (野村 (field village), 埜村 (wilderness field) is a Japanese surname. It can refer to:-Finance:*Nomura Holdings, part of the Nomura Group (also including Nomura Securities Co.)-People:*Don Nomura (born 1957), Japanese-American baseball agent...
Phase IV ventures - March 2009, CEO of Nabriva
CAT was governed by a board and, latterly, a Scientific Advisory Board, both of which contained some eminent scientists and business people. These include:
- César MilsteinCésar MilsteinCésar Milstein FRS was an Argentine biochemist in the field of antibody research. Milstein shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 with Niels K. Jerne and Georges Köhler.-Biography:...
, a Nobel prizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
-winning biochemist in the field of antibody research. Milstein shared the Nobel Prize in PhysiologyPhysiologyPhysiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
and MedicineMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in 1984 with Niels Jerne and Georges Köhler. - Sir Aaron KlugAaron KlugSir Aaron Klug, OM, PRS is a Lithuanian-born British chemist and biophysicist, and winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his development of crystallographic electron microscopy and his structural elucidation of biologically important nucleic acid-protein complexes.-Biography:Klug was...
, a Nobel prize-winning laureate, was a British chemist and biophysicist, and winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize in ChemistryNobel Prize in ChemistryThe Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
for his development of crystallographic electron microscopy. He sat on both the board and the scientific advisory board. - Professor Peter Garland — appointed as a non-executive director in 1990, then became non-executive chairman of the board in 1995. Garland has been the Chief Executive of Institute of Cancer ResearchInstitute of Cancer ResearchThe Institute of Cancer Research is a cancer research institute located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. The ICR was founded in 1909 as a research department of the Royal Marsden Hospital and joined the University of London in 2003...
, 1989–99 and is a fellow of University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. - Dr Paul Nicholson — replaced Peter Garland as chairman in 2003. Nicholson was chairman when AstraZeneca bought CAT.
Peter Chambré replaced Dave Chiswell as CEO in early 2002. Chambré had been the CEO of Bespak PLC since May 1994 and, in July 2000, became the chief operating officer of the genomics
Genomics
Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis,...
company Celera. After CAT, Chambré went on to hold a number of positions including Chairman of ApaTech Ltd., in September 2006 appointed non-executive director of BTG plc and Spectrics pls and also advisor to 3i Group plc.
John McCafferty
John McCafferty
John McCafferty is a British scientist, one of the founders of Cambridge Antibody Technology, well known as one of the inventors of scFv antibody fragment phage display, a technology that revolutionised the monoclonal antibody drug discovery...
developed much of the phage display technology used by CAT and has many publications to his name. McCafferty left CAT to start a group at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute where, as part of the ATLAS project, his group demonstrated the potential for large-scale high-throughput generation and validation of monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies are monospecific antibodies that are the same because they are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell....
. This work built on CAT's ProAbTM technology. McCafferty currently runs the Cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
Interaction Group in the Department of Biochemistry at Cambridge University.
Kevin Johnson joined CAT in 1990, contributed to the discovery of D2E7, played a key role in CAT's Initial Public Offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
(IPO) and, by July 1997, was appointed to the Board as Research Director. In 2000, Johnson became Chief Technology Officer responsible for exploitation and development of CAT's technology platforms. In November 2002, CAT announced its intention to seek independent financing for its development of the application of antibodies on microarrays
Protein microarray
A protein microarray, sometimes referred to as a protein binding microarray,provides a multiplex approach to identify protein–protein interactions, to identify the substrates of protein kinases, to identify transcription factor protein-activation, or to identify the targets of biologically active...
for personalised medicine, as this fell outside CAT's focus on therapeutic antibodies and Johnson positively spearheaded this push. In the event it was not possible to procure finance for this activity and, as a result, all development activity at CAT was terminated.
Johnson left CAT and has since taken up several positions:
- CEO of PanGenetics
- General Partner at Ash Biotech
- Advisor at Index VenturesIndex VenturesIndex Ventures is a venture capital investment firm based in Geneva, Switzerland, with offices in London, Jersey, and starting in 2011, Silcon Valley. The firm was founded in 1996 by Neil Rimer and Giuseppe Zocco. Since its inception, the firm has raised four main venture funds and a growth...
contributing to PanGenetics and Aegerion Pharmaceuticals - Representative of Index Ventures on the board of directors of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals
- Independent member of the Technology Transfer Challenge Committee of the Wellcome TrustWellcome TrustThe Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...