Immunoglobulin Multimer Formation via C-Terminal Heavy Chain Engineering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to produce stable and high-quality immunoglobulin multimers efficiently.

Innovation Solution

The use of an immunoglobulin variant with a deletion at the C-terminus of at least one heavy chain, combined with a heterologous amino acid sequence to promote multimerization, enables efficient production of high-quality immunoglobulin multimers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional methods are used to produce immunoglobulin multimers, then production can proceed with standard immunoglobulin structures, but the production efficiency and quality of multimers are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiency of immunoglobulin multimersVSAvoidquality of immunoglobulin multimers
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the C-terminal amino acid sequence of the heavy chain by introducing a heterologous amino acid sequence (such as polyglycine or polyserine repeats) to change the multimerization parameters. This parameter change enables controlled formation of high-order multimers (dimers, trimers, tetramers, or higher) while maintaining production efficiency and quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the C-terminal region of the heavy chain to separate the multimerization-promoting function from the rest of the immunoglobulin structure. By isolating the C-terminal heterologous sequence as the functional element responsible for multimerization, the patent achieves precise control over multimer formation without affecting other immunoglobulin functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the C-terminal multimerization-promoting region is deleted from immunoglobulin, then controlled multimerization can be achieved, but the natural multimerization ability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled multimerizationVSAvoidloss of natural multimerization ability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the multimerization-promoting function from the natural C-terminal region and replaces it with a heterologous amino acid sequence. This extraction allows controlled multimerization while compensating for the loss of natural multimerization ability through the introduced heterologous sequence

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

By changing the amino acid sequence at the C-terminus to a heterologous sequence with specific multimerization properties (such as polyglycine or polyserine repeats), the patent achieves reliable controlled multimerization while maintaining or enhancing the multimerization ability that would otherwise be lost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for the production of immunoglobulin multimers with enhanced biological activity, such as bacterial growth inhibition and agglutination, without the need for cell-disrupting treatments.

Implementation Method 1

a step of binding the two or more immunoglobulins

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectProtein-protein binding:

Data Source

PatentEP4678662A1immunoglobulin
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 THE UNIV OF TOKYO
  • EP4678662A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4678662A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4678662A1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an immunoglobulin multimer, a method for producing the same, and an immunoglobulin variant having an ability to form an immunoglobulin multimer. In another aspect, the present disclosure has the effect of providing a method using an immunoglobulin multimer or an immunoglobulin variant having an ability to form an immunoglobulin multimer, and a composition containing the immunoglobulin multimer or the immunoglobulin variant having an ability to form an immunoglobulin multimer.