We caution that this is still early stage
research and development and is not making any express or implied
claims that it has the ability to eliminate the
SARS-CoV-2 virus at this time. We
further caution that we have not undertaken any clinical
trials.
VICTORIA, March 30, 2020 /CNW/ - IMMUNOPRECISE ANTIBODIES
LTD. (the "Company" or "IPA") (TSX VENTURE: IPA) (OTC QB: IPATF)
announces that its collaborator, EVQLV, has submitted their first
panel of candidate therapeutic antibody sequences, comprised of DNA
sequences encoding for potentially therapeutic antibodies against
the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. These DNA sequences were generated
using computational antibody design, a method which combines
mathematics, statistics, and computer science to identify
high-affinity antibodies. The submitted antibody sequences
were pre-screened by EVQLV's artificial intelligence-driven
algorithms, which work to maximize the resulting antibodies'
therapeutic potential while minimizing safety and manufacturing
risks.
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IPA believes treatments for the new coronavirus are ideally
generated using data from the newly emerged strain, in part as the
spike protein from the 2019 virus has been shown to have a unique
sequence that sets it apart from the 2002 SARS-CoV and SARS-related
CoVs1.
"As new insights into SARS-CoV-2 are captured by researchers
around the world, we are applying these insights in an attempt to
generate an efficacious and sustainable therapy. The
submission of the first panel of antibody sequences by EVQLV is an
important milestone," stated Dr. Jennifer
Bath, CEO of IPA.
The next step in this process for IPA is to review the antibody
candidates from EVQLV's artificial intelligence. IPA will
select approximately 1,200 ideal candidates that were characterized
and screened by EVQLV's artificial intelligence and validate the
antibody candidates in vitro (i.e. at IPA's lab facilities)
for the purpose of producing and testing these antibodies. IPA has
sufficient financial resources to carry out this testing.
While computational analyses are routine practice in antibody
optimization, it is uncommon to run millions of computational
antibody designs and breadth of screening calculations performed by
EVQLV's artificial intelligence. The use of EVQLV's
technology, in conjunction with IPA's research insights and
parameters, generated this first panel of optimized antibody
sequences against SARS-CoV-2 in less than one week. Given the
early stage nature of discovered antibody sequences in the
development chain, IPA and EVQLV will continue to work on
additional panels of computationally generated sequence candidates
against SARS-CoV-2.
"EVQLV's approach simulates antibody discovery and
characterization that occurs in the laboratory and generates
candidate sequences which are screened using algorithms seeking
desirable attributes," said Dr. Bath. "By computationally
generating and screening millions of antibody sequences, the
algorithms provide our laboratory teams prospective panels of
anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody sequences for further validation."
1Walls et al., 2020, Cell 180, 1–12
About EVQLV
EVQLV develops artificial intelligence, engineered with life
science data and biological knowledge, that accelerates the speed
at which biologic therapies reach patients. Comprised of experts in
machine learning, molecular biology, computational biology,
pharmacology, software engineering, antibody design, cloud
computing, and preclinical/clinical development, EVQLV is on a
mission to transform how healing reaches those in need. For further
information, visit www.evqlv.com or contact Daniel Gigante at dgigante@evqlv.com.
About ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.
ImmunoPrecise is a full-service, therapeutic antibody discovery
Contract Research Organization offering species agnostic,
multi-format, characterized and engineered, human monoclonal
antibodies, on an abbreviated timeframe, for its pharmaceutical
clients. For further information, visit
www.immunoprecise.com or contact
solutions@immunoprecise.com.
Forward Looking Information
This news release contains statements that, to the extent
they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities laws. The Company uses words such as "may",
"would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "believe", "intend"
and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Any
such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and
analyses made by ImmunoPrecise in light of its experience and its
perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected
future developments. However, whether actual results and
developments will conform to ImmunoPrecise's expectations and
predictions is subject to any number of risks, assumptions and
uncertainties. Many factors could cause ImmunoPrecise's actual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such
factors include, among other things, actual revenues and earnings
for IPA being lower than anticipated, and those risks and
uncertainties described in ImmunoPrecise's annual management
discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended April 30th, 2019, which can be accessed at
www.sedar.com. The "forward-looking statements" contained
herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless
required by applicable law, ImmunoPrecise undertakes no obligation
to publicly update or revise such information, whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
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