Debiopharm (Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing), a privately-owned, Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company aiming to establish tomorrow’s standard of care to cure cancer and infectious diseases and FluoSphera, a Swiss biotechnology company developing advanced in vitro platforms to improve the prediction of drug efficacy and safety, today announced a new license agreement for use of AbYlink™, Debiopharm’s proprietary antibody conjugation technology. The agreement enables FluoSphera to offer biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies an integrated workflow combining regio-selective antibody labeling, high-throughput testing in human-relevant three-dimensional models and quantitative imaging analysis.

The new offering is designed to support the characterization of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, therapeutic antibodies and other antibody-based modalities. Antibody candidates can be labeled using AbYlink™ and subsequently be evaluated with FluoSphera’s 3D testing platform to characterize target binding, target selectivity, tissue penetration and spatial distribution. By bringing these capabilities together in a single in vitro workflow, FluoSphera aims to help its partners generate biologically relevant data and to select the most promising antibody candidates earlier in drug development.

As antibody therapeutics become increasingly sophisticated, understanding their behavior must extend well beyond measuring affinity against isolated targets. Developers also need to evaluate target selectivity, to discriminate between target-positive and target-negative tissues and to understand how efficiently antibodies penetrate complex tumor tissues. Conventional two-dimensional assays provide limited information on these spatial and tissue-level properties. Human-relevant 3D tumor models can reveal antibody distribution and penetration patterns that may be critical when selecting lead candidates before progressing into more resource-intensive preclinical studies.

AbYlink™ is Debiopharm’s proprietary antibody conjugation technology that enables selective attachment of fluorescent- or therapeutic cargos to the Fc region of IgG antibodies without requiring prior antibody modification. This regio-selective conjugation approach is designed to preserve the antibody’s original affinity for its target, making it well suited for applications requiring reliable antibody labeling and downstream biological characterization.

FluoSphera’s platform combines reproducible 3D human cell and tumor spheroid models with multiplexed imaging and quantitative image analysis to characterize therapeutic candidates under physiologically relevant conditions. Antibodies can be evaluated in parallel across multiple tumor cell lines and target-expression profiles, using high-throughput imaging to assess binding and selectivity.

For tissue penetration studies, FluoSphera uses Viventis Deep light sheet fluorescence microscope from Leica Microsystems to visualize and quantify antibody distribution throughout intact tumor spheroids. Thanks to its optical configuration Viventis Deep allows imaging deep inside the sample providing detailed spatial information and supports precise and robust quantification of penetration depth, distribution, and homogeneity within complex tumor structures. These analyses complement conventional binding assays by revealing how tissue architecture and target expression influence antibody behavior and biological activity.

By combining AbYlink™ antibody labeling, human-relevant 3D biological testing, light sheet microscopy, and quantitative image analysis within a single workflow, FluoSphera offers partners a streamlined service covering the entire process, from sample preparation and biological evaluation to imaging, quantitative analysis, and data interpretation.

“Having integrated AbYlink™ into our platform, we are now able to offer our partners a streamlined workflow for characterizing their antibody therapeutics in human-relevant 3D models,” said Clélia Bourgoint, CEO of FluoSphera. “This agreement strengthens our ability to support developers of ADCs, bispecific antibodies and other therapeutic antibody-based modalities in evaluating their binding, selectivity, and tissue penetration earlier in development. Ultimately, our goal is to help drug developers identify the most promising candidates before committing to more resource-intensive and costly development studies.”

“FluoSphera’s scalable 3D models, imaging and analysis capabilities provide an attractive environment in which to apply AbYlink™ to the characterization of antibody-based therapeutics,” said Patrick Garrouste, Drug Research & Development Executive Director at Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing. “Through this agreement, we are pleased to support the development of integrated workflows that may help better understand the behavior of antibody candidates in complex biological models.”

“As 3D culture models become increasingly sophisticated and more representative of human biology, there is a growing need for imaging technologies capable of capturing their full complexity. FluoSphera workflow clearly highlights how advanced imaging solutions combined with quantitative analysis can unlock deeper biological insights” said Andrea Boni, Market Segment Director for Human Relevant Models at Leica Microsystems. “At Leica Microsystems, we remain committed to enable end-to-end workflows from sample preparation to data analysis supporting broader adoption of human-relevant models in biopharma research.”

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies interested in evaluating antibody binding, selectivity or tissue penetration in human-relevant 3D tumor models are invited to contact FluoSphera to discuss potential studies and collaborative research opportunities.

About FluoSphera

FluoSphera is a Swiss biotechnology company developing advanced in vitro platforms to improve the prediction of drug efficacy and safety. Its proprietary technology combines multiple encapsulated 3D tissue models within a single experimental system, enabling physiologically relevant tissue interactions to be studied. By generating more predictive translational data earlier in development, FluoSphera helps pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies faster select for the most promising, de-risked candidates, investigate mechanisms of action, identify safety risks, and reduce reliance on animal testing. Find more information at: https://www.fluosphera.com/

About Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing

Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing, part of Debiopharm, develops and manufactures innovative technologies that support the advancement of antibody-based therapeutics. Its proprietary AbYlink™ antibody conjugation technology enables regio-selective conjugation of cargos to IgG antibodies and is designed to facilitate the development and characterization of antibody-based medicines. Through collaborations with industry partners, Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing helps accelerate the translation of innovative therapeutic technologies into drug development programs.Find more information at www.debiopharm.com and by following us at www.linkedin.com/company/debiopharminternational/

About Leica Microsystems

Leica Microsystems, a Danaher company, supports the generation of insight from complex imaging data, enabling faster, informed decisions across life science, medical, and industrial applications. Guided by its purpose to reveal what is invisible, the company partners closely with customers to translate this insight into meaningful outcomes and contribute to a better and healthier world. The Leica Microsystems portfolio spans workflows from sample preparation to AI-enabled analysis. It builds on more than 175 years of expertise in microscopy, combining customer focus, continuous improvement, and innovation. As part of the Danaher ecosystem, Leica Microsystems connects imaging with complementary technologies and expertise to address broader scientific and clinical needs. Headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany, the company operates six major manufacturing and development sites and serves customers in more than 100 countries. Explore more at: https://www.leica-microsystems.com

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