Professor Dr Florian Klein: Research is shaping protection against viral diseases

Florian Klein is Professor of Virology and Director of the Institute of Virology at University Hospital Cologne. He combines basic research on the body’s defence mechanisms with clinical applications, developing highly effective antibodies that improve vaccination strategies and enable new therapeutic approaches. He has also founded a spin-off company, Togontech, to accelerate the translation of innovative antibody therapies into clinical practice.

1. What role has transfer played in your career so far?

In my research, I am decoding the human antibody response to viral infections. Since the beginning of my career, the transfer of research results into clinical application has been a central component of my work, with the goal of making new therapies and vaccination strategies available more quickly to achieve a direct social benefit.

2. Which of your transfer activities would you like to report on, and what can you tell us about them?

Antibodies can specifically neutralize human pathogenic viruses and play a decisive role in protecting against infectious diseases. Their incredible potential was recognized decades ago. Today, however, we have new technological possibilities at our fingertips, which can help transfer this knowledge into concrete applications. My team was able to identify antibodies with a particularly strong antiviral effect, including against HIV, Ebola viruses, and SARS-CoV-2. With the help of various detailed analyses, we have investigated their mechanisms of action and tested the effect of selected antibodies in clinical studies. These findings enable us to derive improved vaccination strategies.

A central focus of my work is also the development of highly potent monoclonal antibodies, which can be used preventively and therapeutically against infections. We have isolated and characterized numerous antibodies and have applied for patents through the University of Cologne. This is an important step towards translating research results into clinical applications.

3. How did you come up with your research topics?

I became interested in the biology of B cells and their function in antibody formation early on in my studies. During my dissertation at the University of Cologne, I investigated the development of lymphocytes and the role of the B-cell receptors. To research this subject in greater depth, I moved to Rockefeller University in New York in 2009. There I was able to research the potential of broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 and test their clinical application. These experiences still characterize my research today: understanding the humoral immune response and developing antibodies as preventive and therapeutic tools against serious infectious diseases.

4. What concrete social impact have you achieved through this activity so far?

My overarching goal is to develop new therapeutic options for many serious infections – from the lab to clinical application. Let’s take our work during the coronavirus pandemic as an example: just a few weeks after the first COVID-19 cases in Germany, my team succeeded in identifying the highly effective neutralizing antibody DZIF-10c. In close collaboration with industry and university partners, we translated this development into clinical application. This led to DZIF-10c being the first antibody to be investigated in clinical trials under academic leadership in December 2020. In addition, with a large COVID-19 cohort and the initiation of the Germany-wide COVIM network, we were able to contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of immunity, immune escape in relation to variants, and the optimization of vaccination strategies. These findings were also incorporated into vaccination concepts and political decisions.

In order to ensure the long-term transfer of this research and accelerate access to innovative antibody therapies, we founded the spin-off company Togontech from the university. The company’s aim is to support the development of preventive and therapeutic antibody therapies and thus provide better protection against severe outcomes in viral infections. The university significantly contributed to the successful establishment of the spin-off.