ARD CVL BIOPHARMACEUTICALS PROGRAMME

CONTEXT & OBJECTIVES

The Ambition Research & Development CVL Biomedicaments programme aims to develop a biopharmarceuticals research and development cluster in the Centre-Val de Loire region by capitalising on the multidisciplinarity of teams from several research institutions and by involving the regional pharmaceutical industries and encouraging the creation of new companies. Besides of funding academic research projects with high translational potential it seeks to identify and connect public and private actors working on biopharmaceuticals at the regional, national, European and increasing international collaborations. It trains and attracts talents in biotechnologies.
The programme is led by the University of Tours in partnership with the University of Orléans, the CNRS, the Centre INRAE Val de Loire, INSERM, CHRU Tours Hospitals, Labex MaBImprove, Mabdesign, Polepharma, IMT and LE STUDIUM IAS. It currently brings together 12 laboratories and 30 research teams with recognised expertise in the fields of recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, immune-conjugates in oncology, human plasma-derived drugs, stem cells and cell therapy, and advanced therapy drugs.

RESEARCH

The main funded research projects focus on:

• Preclinical evaluation of an Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) for Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) treatment
• Synthetic biology:  secure etoposide supply by bioproduction
• In silico methods development: therapeutic antibody selection and affinity maturation 
• Intrabodies development for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) treatment
• Large scale sequencing and identification of patient antibodies for diagnostic test development