Antibody expert and co-inventor of DuoBody®, HexaBody®, and HexElect® technologies joins AbTherx to drive expansion of the Atlas™ Mice platform
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2024 / AbTherx, Inc., a biotechnology company with innovative technologies that enable and accelerate antibody discovery, today announced the appointment of Janine Schuurman, PhD, as a scientific advisor. In her new role, Dr. Schuurman will provide guidance on the company's research, development, product, and organizational strategies with an emphasis on antibody engineering and bispecific antibodies.
Dr. Schuurman's career centers around the antibody molecule as a biological source of inspiration and therapeutic modality. Dr. Schuurman joined Genmab's R&D team in 2000 as one of the first scientists-her most recent position being Senior Vice President heading Genmab's Antibody Research and Technologies. She is a co-inventor of many therapeutic antibodies and of the DuoBody®, HexaBody®, and HexElect® technologies, which enable the generation of bispecific and effector-function enhanced antibodies. These technologies are being applied to antibody therapeutic discovery programs at leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide and have resulted in FDA-approved therapies such as RYBREVANT® (amivantamab), EPKINLY® (epcoritamab), TECVAYLY® (teclistamab), and TALVEY® (talquatamab). Dr. Schuurman has championed many successful academic and industry partnerships in antibody therapeutics and complementary research fields.
Dr. Schuurman joined The Antibody Society's Board of Directors in 2020 and currently serves as President of this international, non-profit trade association which represents individuals and organizations involved in antibody-related research and development. Dr. Schuurman is frequently invited to serve as a speaker, as well as a chair, at scientific conferences around the world due to her vision, impactful scientific publication track record, and dynamic presentations. She received her PhD in immunology from the University of Amsterdam. Dr. Schuurman is currently an independent biotech consultant (Lust for Life Science B.V.) and collaborates with many organizations, including Bioqube Ventures and Cartography Biosciences.
"Dr. Schuurman is an accomplished inventor and respected expert in developing antibody therapeutics and technologies, specifically in the field of bispecifics," said Justin Mika, Chief Executive Officer of AbTherx. "It is a pleasure to welcome Janine to our team. Her wealth of experience will guide our research, development, and technology strategies, which include implementing and expanding our unique ‘natural' IgG structure-enabling binary fixed light chain technology for bispecific antibodies."
"I'm excited to support this team with their impressive track record in antibody discovery platforms," said Janine Schuurman, Scientific Advisor of AbTherx. "The thoughtfully designed Atlas™ Mice platform has huge potential for the discovery and successful development of innovative antibody-therapeutics."
About AbTherx, Inc.
AbTherx is advancing medicine with revolutionary technologies that accelerate and enable therapeutic antibody discovery. Through an exclusive partnership with Gilead Sciences, AbTherx has released Atlas™ Mice, a suite of novel transgenic technologies designed for unmatched performance and FTO. For over 20 years, AbTherx's passionate, innovative, and collaborative team has pushed the boundaries of antibody discovery technologies, leading to over 1,000 successful antibody discovery campaigns and 13 marketed therapeutics. AbTherx's industry-leading team creates transformative solutions to overcome the most demanding challenges in delivering innovative medicines. Committed to making its technologies accessible to all, AbTherx offers flexible partnering models that meet the needs of drug developers of all sizes. For more information, please visit www.abtherx.com.
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SOURCE: AbTherx, Inc.