nAb generation
A robust and versatile tool for a range of applications.
To understand what a nano-antibody is, you first need to understand what an antibody is. Constituted of two heavy chains and two light chains, a « classical » antibody posseses variable domains and constant domains.
The recognition site to the antigen, called paratope, is formed of the association of two variables domains respectively on the heavy and the light chain (VH+VL).
It’s the discovery in 1989 of Professor Hamers and his team that revolutionizes this assumption : besides « classical » antibodies, they revealed that camelids have Heavy chain only Antibodies : called HcAb, that lack light chains and for which the paratope is on one domain only called VHH or nanobody (figure 1 on the slider at the bottom).
Those nano-antibodies have rapidly raised interest in the scientific community, who, since 2003, uses thoses innovatives structures as therapeutics reagents and imagery within numerous pre-clinical and clinical trials.
In 2019, shortly 30 years after their discovery, the first therapeutic nano-antibody is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as a part of the development of a treatment against Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
In that promising environment, NabGen Technology dedicates a major part of its activity to the generation of nano-antibodies to answer a wide range of applications in the field of fundamental and clinical research.
Characteristics and applications
Nano-antibodies are indeed the smallest binding domains to an antigen. Their format is flexible, customizable and their small size allows a better tissues penetration. Nano-antibodies are robust and trustworthy tools : they possess an affinity towards their targets of the nanomolar range and a high specificity. Expert in the production of nano-antibodies, NabGen Technology offers to project leaders a versatile tool of choice with many applications in the field of fundamental and medical research with a therapeutic or diagnotic purpose.
Generation of nano-antibodies and conception of innovative tools
Strong with its experience, NabGen Technology generates nano-antibodies since 2011 according to a specific, robust and reproducible protocol. Llama’s immunization is done in partnership with a certified farm and the blood treatment at NabGen Technology respects a very precise organisation. The quality and stabiltiy of the antigenes used are systematically checked before the beginning of selections. The sequences of the best nano-antibodies obtained are either sent to the project leader or sub-cloned, produced and purified by NabGen Technology (figure 3 on the slider at the bottom)
Conception of customised nano-antibodies
(figure 2 of the slider at the bottom)
-Nano-antibodies coupled with a fluorophore
-Diabodies
-Divalent nano-antibodies
