Biomolecular Engineering

Amber Biology has completed multiple projects involving the design and engineering of biomolecules, including therapeutic proteins and oligonucleotides, and RNA biomarkers for disease diagnosis.

In protein therapeutics for example, we have re-engineered many protein sequences to improve their pharmacological properties and even in some cases, to modulate their function. A major challenge in engineering proteins that are destined for clinical use, is the potential to create novel sequences and neo-epitopes that the patient’s immune system would recognize as foreign. In the best case scenario, this can diminish or even ablate the therapeutic efficacy of the molecule when the patient’s own immune system raises an antibody response against it. In the worst case, it can actually endanger the patient’s life as a result of the potential for anaphylaxis, especially in multiple dosing regimens.

To meet this challenge, Amber Biology uses its own, internally-created software (written in Python) that guides the process of engineering proteins that are destined for clinical use, to ensure that these re-engineered proteins are as immunologically inert as possible.