adivo GmbH, a Martinsried-based leader in discovering species-specific therapeutic antibodies for pets, announced the expansion of a global research collaboration with one of the leading animal health companies in mid-July. The original agreement signed in December 2020, will now include the joint discovery and development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for cats in addition to ongoing research projects addressing severe diseases in dogs. This news also marks the commercial launch of adivo’s novel proprietary feline-specific antibody library FELIX, which is the first fully synthetic source of therapeutic antibodies on the market to date. adivo stands to receive research funding, success-based milestones and royalties on commercialized products. Further financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Today’s news marks the first of potentially several therapeutic partnerships to come for adivo in the feline antibody space. Our team translated all expertise gained with our canine antibody platform CEASAR over the last two years and developed a powerful new system with FELIX,” commented Dr. Kathrin Ladetzki-Baehs, Founder and CEO of adivo. “The fact that an existing partner is the first to pursue discovery projects based on FELIX is a strong testament to the high-quality work and performance of our team. We are looking forward to tackling novel projects with a renowned and experienced partner and make a positive impact on the lives of cat owners and their beloved friends.”

FELIX and CEASAR represent collections of billions of fully canine and feline antibodies, respectively. Built using phage display, a powerful technology that helped propel monoclonal antibodies to become the most successful drug class in human healthcare, these technology platforms provide the means for short development cycles often achieving valuable lead candidates within 1 year after project initiation. adivo’s technology platform allows for the de novo identification of promising antibody panels to select drug candidates with optimal functionality, developability and low risk of immunogenicity. As in vitro-based technologies, no animals are harmed during the antibody generation process – another unique capability of phage display.

adivo discovers species-specific therapeutic antibodies for pets
adivo is forging a new era for companion animal health. Our proprietary phage display antibody libraries deliver species-specific drugs for a growing market need. We apply our extensive drug discovery and protein engineering know-how to address cancer, chronic inflammatory diseases and other serious conditions in pets. Together with our partners, we create the best possible therapeutics for our beloved furry friends. For further information, please visit: www.adivo.vet.