The technology behind our CalRexin™ calcitonin receptor antibody
Our Technology
Our technology is based on the only available monoclonal antibody against a definable and extracellular linear target of the human calcitonin receptor (CTR). Accumulation of the CTR on the cell surface is an event associated with cell stress and Programmed Cell Death (PCD) mechanisms such as apoptosis and autophagy – this is one of our key discoveries. The extracellular target epitope of our antibody makes it a unique target for the delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic substances to reach inside diseased cells and tissues.
Our unique antibody enables the development of novel conjugates with applications in research and imaging. The future opportunities for CalRexin™ in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions is an area of active research at Apop.
Patents
PCT/AU2008/001435; WO 2009/039584, Patent No 2203747. Diagnosis and treatment of diseased and damaged tissue.
Int PCT/AU2014/001081 Marker of cell death.
What sets us apart
We are building a pipeline of transformative technologies based on our unique target of cell stress.
CalRexin™ Imaging Reagents
Apop is continually expanding its pipeline of innovative imaging reagents. CalRexin®® is now available in a range of antibody: fluorophore conjugates:
For PCD (apoptosis): CalRexin™:488, CalRexin™:568, CalRexin™:647, CalRexin™:680
For Autophagy: CalRexin™:pHrodo™ Red
Image from confocal microscopy using CalRexin™:568
Cancer cells are treated with cytotoxin.
Green cells have tubulin and are intact, living cells that exclude CalRexin™:568
Red cells are dying, tubulin is lost and CalRexin™:568 accumulates.
CalRexin™ Therapeutics
CalRexin™:ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) has the potential to treat recalcitrant diseases in patients such as brain cancer, leukaemias, multiple myelomas and prostate cancer. These ADCs have been recognised to have potential in the treatment of patients with a substantially lower risk of off target side effects.
ADCs allow for the targeted delivery of a potent chemotherapeutic or cancer cell toxin directly to the cancer cell and importantly, the cancer stem cell.
The specificity of the antibody determines the cancer indication that can be treated and for CalRexin™:ADC our initial focus will be brain cancer (glioblastoma) with potential application to brain and bone metastasis, prostate cancer and blood cancers.
CalRexin™ Imaging & Diagnostic Agents
CalRexin™:PET (Positron Emission Tomography) The potential for whole-body imaging of patients to identify programmed cell death, rather than having to remove cells from the body (biopsy), improves quality of life of cancer patients following radio- and chemotherapy treatment. CalRexin™:PET is an example of one of the diagnostic applications.
