The major histocompatibility complex is a large genomic region or gene family found in most vertebrates. Close window.

The proteome is the entire set of proteins expressed by a genome, cell, tissue or organism.. Close window.

The human leukocyte antigen system is the name of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in humans. Close window.

ioGenetics uses genetic engineering of proteins to construct antimicrobial protein products.

Our approach is based on the concepts that

•	The epitope forms the fundamental unit driving an immune response
•	Epitopes can be used to either stimulate an immune response or to act as targets for antibody directed immunotherapeutics
•	Peptide epitopes are genetically coded and predictably expressed
•	An epitope may comprise one or more peptides
•	With versatile recombinant expression technology, novel molecules can be constructed to target or express peptide epitopes
•	Immune targeting is independent of current antibiotic resistance mechanisms
•	Immune targets can chosen to be highly specific or elicit a broader spectrum response

The key component platform technologies the company uses are:

•	uTOPE™ analysis, a sophisticated and powerful proprietary proteomic bioinformatics analysis system was first developed as the basis for design of antibody targeted therapeutics. We use it to analyze whole microbial proteomes and to establish libraries which catalogue predicted peptide epitopes that are exposed on microbial surfaces and conserved across many strains of an organism. uTOPE™ analysis identifies short peptides which comprise both B and T cell epitopes and identifies MHC binding regions capable of generating immune responses in all documented HLA types. Peptides it identifies may thus serve as vaccine candidates.
•	Directed Biocide™ therapeutics are constructed using a design-build approach to create protein antimicrobial products by using a "toolbox" of protein subcomponents comprising antibody variable regions, antimicrobial peptides, enzymes and various functional linkers. By precisely targeting natural antimicrobials to specific microorganisms, the dose needed is reduced and therapeutic margins are increased.
•	A highly efficient recombinant protein expression system which utilizes replication incompetent retrovectors to create stable protein producing mammalian cell lines enabling very rapid production and evaluation of new protein products, followed by seamless scale-up.

The company has developed fusion proteins targeting protozoa, bacteria and viruses.

Replication incompetent retrovectors are viral vectors which are used to safely deliver genes to cells and which are constructed to make them incapable of completing a cycle of replication so that no further cells are infected. Close window.

An epitope, also known as antigenic determinant, is the part of a macromolecule that is recognized by the immune system, specifically by antibodies, B cells, or T cells. Close window.