On September 8th and 9th 2021, VIB hosted the second Nanobody conference, following the previous edition in Bonn, Germany, in 2019. During the two-day hybrid conference, leaders in the field discussed the latest research on Nanobody® engineering and their use as research tools, diagnostic aids, therapeutic molecules, and anti-infectious agents. +- 350 participants from 24 countries participated in the conference
One of the speakers at this meeting was VIB's Xavier Saelens, who is part of the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology. His research team applies modern biotechnology methods to develop new vaccines and antivirals against important human respiratory viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and, more recently, coronaviruses. In addition, his group uses interactomics tools to gain new insights in the molecular interplay between host and viral factors.
His research group pioneered the development of a universal influenza A vaccine candidate based on the viral matrix protein 2 and elucidated it’s mechanism of protection. More recently, his team proposed a new human respiratory syncytial vaccine candidate that is based on the small hydrophobic protein of this virus. This vaccine candidate has successfully passed a Phase I clinical study.
The group also develops single domain antibodies and formats thereof as new candidate biologics to control infections by respiratory viruses. A SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing single domain antibody that was discovered in the Saelens group is being developed for clinical use by VIB spin-off ExeVir Bio.
The first reported SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing nanobody
Recent research by his lab work led to the selection of XVR011, a highly stable anti-COVID-19 biologic with excellent manufacturability, for clinical development. XVR011 is unaffected in its neutralizing capacity of currently rapidly spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants, and binds to the RBD of a wide range of Sarbecovirus clades. This nanobody-based anti-COVID-19 biologic, has recently entered clinical testing
This presentation highlights the discovery and preclinical development of the first reported SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing nanobody.
Watch the recording of his talk on Fighting coronavirus spikes with nanobodies here.
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