Three-dimensional structure of a Nanobody® (modeled on the VHH with pdb-code 1U0Q, Cambillau et al). The target molecule is recognized by the surface formed by three hypervariable regions located at the top of the molecule (in green, cyan and blue). Hallmarks, amino acid residues that further differentiate a camelid VHH from a human VH, can be located at different positions within the framework regions, and here are coloured red, pink and magenta.
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Intellectual Property

Ablynx has a strong and broad IP position and is the only company in the world with granted US and European patents that describe the composition of matter of Nanobodies® (the “Hamers patents”), representing a distinct and unique position in the complex field of antibody-derived therapeutics.Ablynx has an extensive patent position in the field of Nanobodies for healthcare applications. It has exclusive rights to more than 450 patent applications and granted patents in more than 130 patent families worldwide, including the Hamers patents covering the basic structure, composition, preparation and uses of Nanobodies. The Hamers patents have been granted or are pending in major territories including the United States, Europe and Japan. As a result of its exclusive patent rights, Ablynx is the only company in the world which has the intellectual property rights required for the worldwide commercialisation of healthcare products based on Nanobodies.

Nanobodies have been generated against more than 190 antigens in various target classes, including some complex targets and classes of targets (such as GPCRs, ion channels and viruses), many of which are very difficult to target with mAbs.

Since 2006, Ablynx has been filing patent applications for targets and classes of targets and as a result, Ablynx currently holds more than 20 patent families which broadly cover Nanobodies and other single domain binding proteins directed against such classes of targets. These patent applications extend the original concept from the Hamers patents for these particular targets and target classes well beyond the expected expiry dates (the expiry dates begin in 2013 in Europe and 2015 in the United States) for the original Hamers patents. Ablynx's patents also cover all of its internal and partnered development programmes. In addition, Ablynx files patent applications on things such as novel routes of administration and formulations and protects know-how, such as immunisation strategies, through confidentiality procedures.

Ablynx is also the holder worldwide of the trademarks Ablynx®, Nanobody® and Nanoclone®.

 
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