Twist Bioscience inks discovery deal with Ono Pharma

US synthetic DNA producer Twist Bioscience (Nasdaq: TWIST) today announced a drug discovery agreement with Japan’s Ono Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4528) to discover and develop novel antibodies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

“Ono has a strong and proven track record in developing antibody candidates in areas of need, including the development of the anti-PD-1 antibody Opdivo, which has had a tremendous impact for patients and researchers,” said Emily Leproust, chief executive and co-founder of Twist Bioscience. “This collaboration bringing together our antibody discovery expertise with Ono’s experience in drug development has the potential to lead to future breakthrough treatment options for patients with autoimmune diseases,” she added.

The deal will see Twist will utilize the Twist Biopharma Solutions Library of Libraries to conduct research activities to discover novel antibodies against targets identified by Ono. Twist’s Library of Libraries is an expansive collection of synthesized antibody libraries based on naturally occurring sequences that harness innovative structural and developability features to cover a wide range of drug targets.