Most respondents say antibody drug discovery processes such as screening, characterization and target identification were the biggest challenges in their R&D and manufacturing.
Financial challenges are the second major challenge, including limited funding opportunities and keeping R&D costs low.
Animal models are selected by the most respondents as the best method for obtaining therapeutic antibodies.
They are also selected by most of those who said they are working with bispecifics (55%) and ADCs (56%).
Phage display is the second highest selected overall, but of equal importance as animal models to those working with protein therapeutics (each selected by 43%).
The majority of those who selected ‘Other’ say that human cells such as B cells and PBMCs are the best method.
What is the biggest technology gap or need in antibody discovery, selection and screening?
The most common suggestions from respondents include cost-effective tools for phage display, target selection and large-scale screening of antibodies.
Tools for efficacy testing and prediction, such as 3D models, are also identified by respondents as a major need in the industry.
42% of respondents say that novel targets for antibodies is the most important area of development to them. This portion includes most of those who work in auto-immune diseases (58%), neurodegenerative conditions (47%) and infectious diseases (42%).
Discovery, selection and screening strategies are the second most important area to respondents, and the highest selected by those who work in inflammation, rare diseases, obesity, ocular and cardiovascular conditions.
A quarter of the respondents say that they are using AI and/or machine learning as part of their R&D, including nearly half of those working with ADCs and CAR-T/cellular therapies.
41% of the respondents believe that combination antibody mediated immunotherapy is the most exciting emerging trend in antibody engineering and therapeutics.
