MAbs have emerged as the fastest growing class of pharmaceutical products in recent years and in 2007 achieved worldwide sales of approximately $25 billion.

Despite exquisite specificity to their targets, many antibodies, particularly when used in a monotherapy setting, exhibit excellent therapeutic response in some patients but perform poorly in many others. This variability is due to the fact that patients are genetically and immunologically different. As a result, there is a significant market pressure to develop an effective method to stratify patients into potential responders versus non-responders.

By incorporating the 3×3 Matrix™ into the antibody engineering platform, PIKAMAB develops customized MAb therapies for each patient group in the matrix such that ADCC and ADCC-related mechanisms of action are fully enabled by effectively engaging the necessary immune cells such as the NK-cells, macrophages, and neutrophils. This patient and group-specific Fc engineering allows for effective engagement of IgGs to FcGR-3A and FcGR-2A in immune cells (NK-cells, macrophages, and neutrophils). For example, the Group-9 IgG construct in the matrix has the optimized Fc for FcGR-3A (F¹⁵⁸) and FcGR-2A (R¹³¹) receptors. Thus, effective ADCC and phagocytosis-mediated clearance of immune complexes can be achieved in each patient group.

PIKAMAB captures these inventions in its theragnostic and MAb drug development programs. The theragnostic products, ADCC Therasight™ and Lupus Therasight™, stratify patients into nine distinct groups through a proprietary 3×3 Matrix™  and provide critical treatment guidance to biopharma companies, regulatory agencies, payers, and physicians.

Emerging Market
The blockbuster antibody market, currently led by MAbs such as Rituxan, Remicade, and Herceptin, is projected to exceed $20 billion in sales in 2009. Currently, there are over 200 antibody product candidates in clinical development.

PIKAMAB is planning to initiate an antibody engineering R&D efforts in India to operationalize the generation of these stratified MAb products. PIKAMAB is also in the process of establishing a CLIA-certified testing facility in the U.S. to commercialize theragnostic products. In the second phase, we plan to expand theragnostic operations into Europe and Asia.