Genmab

Genmab

Genmab A/S (OMX: GEN) is a Danish biotechnology company, founded in February 1999 and based in Copenhagen. Internationally, it operates through the subsidiaries Genmab BV in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and Genmab, Inc in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. The Company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen A/S. Genmab expanded with an antibody manufacturing facility in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA in 2008, which it now plans to close. Genmab's Technology is licensed from Medarex to create fully human high affinity antibodies using transgenic mice. These antibodies are less likely to elicit an allergic reaction and other side effects compared with other types of manmade antibodies containing other animal proteins because the IgG antibodies produced have human proteins. This technology is called the HuMab-Mouse technology. One benefit of using this type of technology is that there is no need for humanization or complicated genetic engineering to make this antibody fit for humans which cuts down on expenses and time spent developing it. It can be generated within months and can be selected to bind to specific antigens such as tumor cells and other infectious agents. Genmab also has developed its own technology called UniBody, which is used to make smaller antibodies in contrast to the traditional full sized monoclonal antibody. Its smaller size allows for better distribution over larger target areas like tumors. The UniBody can only bind to one site and doesn’t elicit a harmful immune response by binding to two sites and over-activating cell growth. It does not kill target cells but rather silences or inhibits them. Thus it can be used to treat certain cancers, inflammations, allergies and asthmas, where killing the cell isn’t the objective. The technology modifies the human IgG4 antibody. Normally the IgG4 is considered inert and doesn’t elicit an immune response. However, they are also unstable and fall apart easily, which makes them unsuitable for therapeutic settings. Genmab changes the shape of the IgG4 antibody by eliminated the hinge, the part of the antibody that creates the “Y” shape. This halves the antibody, creating a smaller version now known as their UniBody. This smaller version can only bind to one site and does not stimulate cancer cells to grow.