Abbott Scientists Create One Molecule With Two Antibody...( First Combination of Large Molecul...)

First Combination of Large Molecules to Show Drug-like Properties and

Manufacturing Feasibility

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) reported today that its scientists are the first to discover a proprietary technology that combines the function and specificity of two or more monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) into one molecular entity that demonstrates drug-like properties and manufacturing feasibility. These molecules, called dual-variable domain Ig (DVD-Ig(TM)) (http://www.abbott.com/global/url/content/en_US/60.15:15/feature/Feature_0029.htm) , will allow for development of individual drug candidates that target multiple disease-causing molecules in various therapeutic categories.

Published online earlier this week in Nature Biotechnology (http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nbt1345.html), this landmark study demonstrates a completely new platform that may be relevant to cancer, autoimmune diseases and other complicated conditions in which multiple disease-mediators are at play. Simultaneous blockage of multiple targets using DVD-Ig agents may increase efficacy in comparison to inhibition of a single target using a mAb.

"Combining the specificity of two or more antibodies into one drug has been a significant challenge for researchers looking at next generation biologic therapies," said Abbott Scientists Chengbin Wu, Ph.D. and Tariq Ghayur, Ph.D., who designed the DVD-Ig molecules and led the research team. "Abbott's approach is
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