Single domain antibody platform

A single domain antibody (sdAb), also known as a nanobody or VHH, is an antibody fragment consisting of a single monomeric variable antibody domain.

At BiOrion, we make sdAbs from heavy chain antibodies found in camelids. Camelid sdAbs have been shown to be as specific as antibodies and have many advantages over regular antibodies.

SdAbs can be easily isolated using the same phage panning procedure used for antibodies, allowing them to be produced in large quantities. With a molecular weight of about 15 kDa, single domain antibodies are much smaller than regular antibodies (150 kDa). Their smaller size and single domain make these antibodies easier to transform into, for example, bacteria and production in yeast cells for larger scale production at a lower cost, making them ideal for research and preclinical purposes. The smaller size also leads to faster clearance from the blood, making them attractive for diagnostic imaging purposes.

Finally, sdAbs are much more stable under harsh (labeling) conditions and much more resistant to higher temperatures.

SdAbs have been studied for years now and the first sdAbs have now been authorized for market application. SdAbs have been tested for multiple pharmaceutical applications and have potential for use in diagnosis and therapy for many indications including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, Covid-19, etc

At BiOrion, we use the sdAb platform to screen and select specific (radio)diagnostic and (radio)therapeutic tracers that bind to relevant fibrogenesis targets in fibrosis and fibrotic cancers, including PDGFRA, PDFRB, IGF-2R, EGFR and FAP.