Therapeutic antibodies are being used increasingly in the clinic for the treatment of various diseases. Yet, oral to gut targeting of antibodies remains a challenge due to their incapability to survive digestion and reach gastrointestinal tissues. Now, the labs of Nico Callewaert (VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology), Ann Depicker (VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology), Henri De Greve (VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology) and Eric Cox (UGent Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) have developed a new antibody technology that combines the advantages of antibody-based therapies with the convenience of oral drug administration. Importantly, these antibodies are manufactured using yeast or soybean in a process as straightforward as food manufacturing. This work, led by Vikram Virdi, was published in Nature Biotechnology. This technology may have potential uses in various areas, from fighting veterinary and human gut infections, treating inflammatory and metabolic disorders, to the development of microbiome altering food supplements.
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