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Focus

Structural analyses, in vitro bonding and functional testing of membrane proteins, production of antibodies

Company Profile

M-fold Biotech was founded in 1999 as m-phasys by Dr. Hans Kiefer, Dr. Wolfgang Vogt, Marc Lohrmann and i.con. innovation GmbH.

Membrane proteins are the most commercially-interesting target proteins for medications and represent M-fold Biotech GmbH’s core area of expertise yet they are also the most difficult to work with. The key to the firm’s success was the use of the patented M-FOLD technology, which was used to manufacture membrane protein antigens. Using two very different methods (immunisation and “phage display” selection), the firm succeeded in manufacturing antibodies with the required binding properties and biological activity and selectivity.

In addition to structural analysis, m-phasys has recently established a new area of business, namely the manufacture of antibodies that act against membrane proteins and can themselves act as medications.

M-fold Biotech's customers include major pharmaceutical companies who commission the structural analyses in order to develop medications.

Management

Dr. Hans Kiefer, Scientific Director Dr. Wolfgang Vogt, Managing Director

Number of employees

Financing

Third finance round: KfW Bankengruppe; € 1.4 million from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for protein structure analysis.

BioProfile

Associated project: Joint project into the generation of antibodies against frizzled receptors (GPCRs) for the isolation and characterisation of stem cells.