We recently sat down with Dr. Joe Illingworth from DJS Antibodies, a part of AbbVie, to find out more about the genesis of this dynamic bio-tech business.
DJS Antibodies is a biology-focused drug discovery engine, using antibodies to treat therapeutic targets. DJS’ mission is to create therapeutic drugs that have the potential to treat chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
From humble beginnings
Joe met his future business partner, David Llewellyn, when they were both Ph.D. students, working in a lab at the Jenner Institute – now famous for developing the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine. They both shared a passion for science and human biology and often talked about starting their own company. After they completed their Ph.D. studies, they founded DJS Antibodies with a belief that their research could lead to new types of medicine.
It was funding from Johnson & Johnson Innovation after being noticed at a business plan competition that got them started. But discovering life-changing medicines is only for the strong-hearted. The budget was so tight that they prepared their initial experiments in their bedrooms, rented a bench at Heyford Park Innovation Centre, near Bicester, and worked round the clock for a year to get the results. This hard work paid off when they were awarded seed round funding from the newly formed Oxford Sciences Enterprises, followed and then a significant injection of £6 million in venture capital from the likes of Amgen Ventures, LifeArc, and Sedgwick Yard, which meant they could set up their lab space at the Wood Centre for Innovation in 2021.
Joe reflects that the journey was not conventional, as they started without a patentable discovery or with the type of research that would become their IP. Instead, they started with a vision and a belief that they could create the next generation of antibody therapeutics.
A new approach to drug design
DJS Antibodies developed HEPTAD – their revolutionary antibody discovery platform – that sets them apart from the crowd. It was developed to overcome the challenges associated with discovering therapeutic-quality antibodies for G-protein coupled receptors or GPCRs, the largest and most diverse group of membrane receptors.
These protein receptors act like the “eyes and ears” for individual cells, making them an ideal drug target for various inflammatory diseases. GPCRs consist of a single polypeptide that is embedded in a cell’s plasma membrane. Seven segments of this molecule span the entire width of the membrane, which explains why GPCRs are sometimes called seven-transmembrane receptors – hence the “hept” in HEPTAD. Using their ground-breaking technology, DJS has discovered antibodies against targets that have been, to date, intractable to drug discovery.
A new chapter for DJS
In 2022, DJS Antibodies was acquired by AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. Together with their colleagues, the team in Oxford is working to advance a unique pipeline and deliver new medicines.
Joe reflects on that significant milestone that many entrepreneurs are aiming for.
“The science was always our top priority. When we were acquired, our team was small, consisting of around 12 people, with just four dedicated to our lead product. True success isn’t defined by a bustling lab filled with people; rather, it’s the scientific progress that creates value. We often struggled to articulate our progress, often with just a small team, but it was the research itself that truly mattered. Our returns were strong precisely because we avoided investing in large, costly offices.”
Joe mentioned that after years dedicated to research and development, the acquisition marked an exciting transformation for the business. Prior to the acquisition, their focus was on developing one or two therapeutic drugs. As part of AbbVie, they have now expanded their efforts to explore a broader pipeline.
The Oxford team collaborates cross-functionally with colleagues around the world to develop a sustainable pipeline of therapeutic drugs. This represents a mindset shift from focusing solely on creating a scientific breakthrough to seeing it as a gateway to a broader, more diverse pipeline. Since the acquisition, Joe divides his time between leading the Oxford team and making frequent trips to the U.S., where AbbVie is headquartered and has several of its research operations.
The Oxford innovation ecosystem
Following the acquisition and his new role in a bigger international company, Joe has a broader perspective of Oxford’s innovation community.
He shares, “Oxford is an incredible hub for academic scientific research, especially in biomedicine. The U.K. stands toe-to-toe with the top centres globally.” He highlights the concentration of world-class expertise in medicine and disease within Oxford but acknowledges existing barriers in translating these academic discoveries into the pharmaceutical industry through biotech companies. Traditionally, academics have faced challenges with drug design, which typically follows key research findings. Drug design is vital because it informs our understanding of diseases by revealing which drugs are effective. For instance, in the study of arthritis 60 years ago, while researchers were learning about the disease, it was the drug design process that taught us it was caused by inflammation. Joe aims to contribute to the Oxford innovation network by offering his experience in building a successful biotech company and his insights into the drug design process.
DJS continues to be based at the Wood Centre for Innovation since their establishment in 2021. Joe’s colleague Dale Starkey, Research Director, says, “We enjoy being at the Wood Centre for Innovation. It embeds us within the Oxford ecosystem, which contains many world-leading experts in both academic research and biotech innovation. Plus, it means you can do all of this amazing scientific research whilst being in the beautiful woodland setting”.
To learn more about DJS Antibodies, visit their website here.
