September 1, 2026
Press
Science
FluoSphera Licenses Debiopharm’s AbYlink™ Technology for 3D Antibody Characterization while Leveraging Leica Microsystems Viventis Deep Imaging Capabilities.
Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland — September 1st, 2026 — 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.
At a glance
- FluoSphera licenses Debiopharm's AbYlink™ antibody conjugation technology.
- Antibodies are labeled regio-selectively on the Fc region — no prior antibody modification required.
- Labeled candidates are then profiled in human-relevant 3D tumor spheroid models.
- Penetration and spatial distribution are quantified using the Viventis Deep light sheet microscope from Leica Microsystems.
- Designed for ADCs, bispecific antibodies, therapeutic antibodies and other antibody-based modalities.
Beyond affinity: what antibody developers actually need to see
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™: regio-selective conjugation that preserves affinity
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.
Human-relevant 3D testing at throughput
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.
Seeing deep inside the spheroid
For tissue penetration studies, FluoSphera uses the 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 supporting precise, 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.
One workflow, end to end
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:
- Labeling — regio-selective conjugation of the antibody candidate using AbYlink™.
- Biological evaluation — binding and selectivity across multiple 3D tumor models and target-expression profiles.
- Imaging — light sheet acquisition through intact spheroids with Viventis Deep.
- Quantitative analysis — penetration depth, spatial distribution and homogeneity.
- Data interpretation — actionable candidate ranking ahead of preclinical commitment.
The new offering is designed to support the characterization of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, therapeutic antibodies and other antibody-based modalities — helping partners generate biologically relevant data and select the most promising candidates earlier in drug development.
What the partners say
"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. 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."
Clélia Bourgoint — CEO, FluoSphera
"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. 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."
Patrick Garrouste — Drug Research & Development Executive Director, Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing
"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's workflow clearly highlights how advanced imaging solutions combined with quantitative analysis can unlock deeper biological insights. 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."
Andrea Boni — Market Segment Director for Human Relevant Models, Leica Microsystems
Work with us
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 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 debiopharm.com and on LinkedIn.
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 leica-microsystems.com.
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