Powering the Immune System to Transform Lives
Our Platforms
Cutting-edge technology platforms to accelerate discovery and development
Vir’s powerful R&D engine is propelled by combining our expertise in antibody discovery with machine learning and artificial intelligence (dAIsYTM), enabling us to engineer early drug candidates into impactful medicines. Our PRO-XTENTM masking technology could potentially make our future medicines more specific, effective and tolerable by making sure they act only where they are needed, reducing damage to healthy cells and tissue.
Next-generation antibody platform
Our antibody platform integrates proprietary discovery and protein engineering techniques to create impactful monoclonal antibodies1, 2. Leveraging this platform, we are able to identify rare and broad antibodies with enhanced selectivity and potency and optimize them to the desired target profile using strategies such as artificial intelligence-led protein engineering (data AI structure and antibody, or dAIsyTM).
1 Pinto D. Park, YJ., Beltramello, M. et al. Cross-Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by a Human Monoclonal SARS-CoV Antibody. Nature 583: 290–295 (2020).
2 Corti, D. et al. Protective monotherapy against lethal Ebola virus infection by a potently neutralizing antibody. Science 351: 1339-42 (2016).
PRO-XTEN™ protease-releasable masking technology
PRO-XTEN technology enables drug candidates to become active (or unmasked) only where they are needed, in the tumor microenvironment, mitigating damage to healthy cells and tissue and reducing toxicity1. It also protects the candidates from the mechanisms that our bodies use to clear drugs from our system. This enables them to stay in the bloodstream longer and make sure they arrive at the site of action, potentially resulting in more convenient dosing regimens for patients and clinicians2.
1 For a selected publication, see: HER2-XPAT, A Novel Protease-Activated Prodrug T Cell Engager (TCE) With Potent T Cell Activation and Efficacy in Solid Tumor Models and Large Predicted Safety Margins in Non-Human Primates, AACR Virtual Annual Meeting, April 2021.
2 Schellenberger V. et al. A recombinant polypeptide extends the in vivo half-life of peptides and proteins in a tunable manner. Nature Biotechnology 27(12):1186-1190. Podust V.N. et al. Extension of in vivo half-life of biologically active peptides via chemical conjugation to XTEN protein polymer. Protein Engineering, Design & Selection 26(11):743-753.