Pharma/Biotech
Polymer Conjugates for New Protein Therapeutics
Native and recombinant proteins are widely used as biotherapeutics. Chemical modification of proteins results in therapeutics with higher bioavailability (half-life) and lower immunogenicity. Pegylation (PEG) is a technique that has been proven to be useful to decrease proteolytic enzyme activity and immune response in vivo. There are, however, limitations with standard Pegylation technology, including generation of mixtures of conjugates with different activities and significant reduction in protein activity post modification.
In order to overcome these limitations, ICx has developed an alternative technique for selective and uniform modification of proteins with PEG. In vitro studies with the ICx PEG technology have shown promising results:
- No loss of biological activity
- Increased bioavailability
- Decreased immunogenicity
"Smart Synthesis" (Enantioselection)
Enantomers usually exist as racemic mixtures, though in many biological systems one is favored over the other. A method of essentially maintaining the desired active ingredient ratio of a composition, or, for the synthesis of single enantiomers, may be useful to the pharmaceutical industry. Synthesis of compounds with improved pharmacokinetic and biological properties would result. While there are processes available to resolve diastereomeric intermediates, they suffer from a number of fundamental disadvantages. ICx has developed advanced polymer-enzyme conjugate chemistry that has the potential to address the opportunity for enantioselection.
Medical Technology
In Vitro Diagnostic Biosensors
ICx is able to work with diagnostic companies to design new biosensors using our proprietary enzyme-immobilization chemistries. Past developments include both single use and process continuous sensors.
Intelligent Biomaterials - Wound Healing, Tissue Adhesives, Tissue Engineering
ICx has developed a novel protein-polymer conjugate which undergoes controllable physical property changes when inserted into a chronic wound environment. This platform can be used for the controlled release of macromolecular pharmaceuticals and drugs to be used to facilitate wound healing. Incorporation of specific enzymes which have a known benefit in the wound healing process into a polymer carrier that can be varied in size, shape and matrix properties have been demonstrated. In addition to enzymes, antimicrobials and antibiotics have been immobilized into our proprietary polymer matrix and formulated into a tissue adhesive for the development of next-generation tissue engineering products.
Drug Delivery
Controlled drug delivery is now well established in the fight against disease. ICx has developed a particular expertise in polymer-protein conjugate chemistry that can be adapted to new drug delivery techniques. This includes not only PEG, but also the potential for the combination of molecular recognition with drug release.
The recognition of a particular agent within the in vivo microenvironment would either trigger the release of a therapeutic agent to promote healing, or it would trigger the release of a different therapeutic agent to inhibit proliferation of undesired cells or tissues or an undesired healing environment.