Zhen Zhang, Ph.D.

Head of Antibody Discovery and Engineering

Moderna

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Zhen Zhang is a seasoned antibody engineer and protein chemist, dedicated to the development of therapeutic antibodies addressing unmet medical needs. He earned his Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, where he focused on beta-lactamase-mediated antibiotic resistance. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Zhang pursued postdoctoral research at Columbia University, specializing in structural biology in the laboratory of Prof. Wayne Hendrickson, a legendary pioneer in crystallography. He then joined the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, contributing to advancements in antibody and vaccine design. In 2015, Dr. Zhang became a part of Moderna, where he currently serves as the Director and Head of the Antibody Discovery and Engineering Group.

Talk title:

mRNA as a novel tool to encode therapeutic Ab in vivo

Talk abstract:

mRNA technology has emerged as an efficient platform for developing vaccines against infectious diseases. Its potential for other modalities, including its ability to encode therapeutic proteins is being actively explored by numerous laboratories and companies. Therapeutic antibodies have proven successful in treating various conditions, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. Encoding therapeutic antibodies via mRNA is particularly promising, as it combines the therapeutic efficacy of antibodies with the streamlined manufacturing process of mRNA. This approach eliminates the need for customized Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) procedures for each product, avoids exposing antibodies to harsh purification conditions and alleviates the necessity for long-term storage at high concentrations.

We have developed a robust antibody discovery platform tailored for generating antibodies suitable for mRNA delivery. Our studies have demonstrated therapeutically relevant antibody expression levels in mice, non-human primates (NHP), and in a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers of a lipid nanoparticle – encapsulated mRNA encoding a monoclonal antibody against the Chikungunya virus. The era of mRNA-encoded therapeutic antibodies is just beginning.

Yingbin (Marvin) Ouyang, Ph.D.

Executive Vice President & Chief Scientific Officer

Cyagen

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Marvin Ouyang has been dedicated to the development of genetically engineered rodent models for the past 25 years, developing hundreds of transgenic and KO/KI mouse/rat models for biomedical research and drug development. Previously, he served as the senior scientist of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), a scientist for U.S.-based Thios Pharmaceuticals, and worked for Taconic Biosciences as the leader of the Molecular Biology Department. So far, he has published many papers in high-impact academic journals such as PNAS and JBC. Technical services developed by Dr. Ouyang have been directly cited hundreds of times by top international journals, including Nature.

Talk title:

Accelerating Antibody Drug Discovery with Fully Human Antibody Mouse HUGO-Ab™ and High-Throughput Single B Cell Screening

Talk abstract:

Fully human antibodies are transforming the immunotherapeutic landscape for cancer and autoimmune diseases, offering superior affinity, specificity, and minimized side effects. To meet the rising demand for innovative in vivo models for fully human antibody discovery and drug development, Cyagen has leveraged cutting-edge technologies to introduce HUmanized Genomic Ortholog for Antibody Development (HUGO-Ab™) mouse models.

In this presentation, Dr. Marvin Ouyang explores the revolutionary potential of the genome-edited HUGO-Ab™ mouse models, which enable in situ replacement of endogenous VH and VL genes with fully human VH and VL genes to facilitate the generation of fully human antibody molecules. When combined with microfluidic technology-enhanced single B cell screening, this approach allows for the high-throughput and efficient discovery of antibody drug molecules.

Xuemin Wang, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Analytical Sciences

WuXi Biologics

Speaker Bio:

Xuemin Wang is an associate director with the Analytical Sciences Department at WuXi Biologics US site. She obtained her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Arizona, developing microfluidics-integrated biosensors with engineered membrane proteins. Wang is currently leading a group that focuses on bioassay development, optimization, and testing for various biological modalities, such as monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and vaccines. This group is part of the Global Bioassay Team at WuXi Biologics, which is consisting of hundreds of dedicated scientists across China and the U.S., providing bioassay services to clients worldwide with proprietary technologies and extensive experience. This team has delivered 350+ product-specific cell-based assays on 200+ therapeutic molecules, and is well equipped to provide one-stop bioassay services.

Talk title:

Roadmap for Bioassay Development for Antibody-Drug Conjugate

Talk abstract:

Antibody-drug conjugate is a relatively new modality consisting of monoclonal antibody (mAb) and toxic payload connected by a chemical linker. Unlike its mAb counterpart, the mechanism of actions (MOAs) of ADCs include not only the binding of mAb to the antigen, but also the internalization of the ADC molecule, as well as the release of the payload. Due to the complexity of the MOA, cell-based assays are necessary, on top of potency ELISA, to demonstrate the efficacy of the drug. In this presentation, a roadmap for ADC Bioassay development is introduced, including a comprehensive panel of controls recommended to develop robust cell-based assay for ADCs, along with a case study using 3D Bioassay for improved assay sensitivity and reduced assay variability.