Avacta Life Sciences invests $16.2 million in Affimers as engineered alternative to antibodies

30 September 2014

UK-based Avacta Life Sciences, a division of Avacta Group (AIM: AVCT) is investing £10 million ($16.2 million) in the launch of Affimers, the engineered alternative to antibodies.

These are small, single-domain proteins derived from a lysosomal protease inhibitor that are engineered to solve several problems presented by antibodies to commercial and academic researchers.

Custom antibodies typically take between seven and 10 months to produce and have a high failure rate. Screening against a library of Affimers takes seven weeks and has a success rate of 90%. They are direct replacements for antibodies that cost roughly the same amount, requiring no change to lab workflow.

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