Scil Proteins’ product, SPVF 2801, an Affilin molecule for applications in solid tumors passed initial preclinical studies with good results.
Affilin molecules are scaffold proteins derived from the natural serum protein ubiquitin. They bind disease related targets with specificity. Scil Proteins’ platform combines proprietary Affilin libraries with Ribosome and Tat Phage Display screening technologies, allowing fast identification of Affilin therapeutics.
Scil Proteins’ program aims at the development of Affilin molecules for a clinically validated cancer target. The validation was achieved showing an accumulation of SPVF 2801 in solid tumors in a mouse model, indicating that the picomolar binder targets the tumor cells with high specificity in-vivo.
Based on these results, Scil Proteins are expected to continue pre-clinical development within its cancer lead program and is also expected to progress with screening its Affilin libraries for candidates against additional targets.
Scil Proteins’ discovery platform uses an accelerated screening process that made use of advanced library design and ubiquitin libraries with a complexity of 1017.
Arnd Steuernagel, CSO of Scil Proteins, said: “Our goal has been to build a fast screening platform for the identification of targeted therapeutics.
“We are therefore pleased with the outcome of this animal study. The affinity and specificity of the Affilin candidate seen in biochemical as well as cell culture assay translated nicely into a specific accumulation within the tumor.”
Ulrike Fiedler, CEO of Scil Proteins, said: “Using our accelerated screening process, it took Scil Proteins only five months to achieve in-vivo data following primary screening.”