AqueaTether® (AqT®) Technologies
Pioneering the Future of Bioconjugation with AqT® Technology
CellMosaic is advancing next-generation bioconjugation solutions through its proprietary AqueaTether® (AqT®) linkers—a revolutionary class of super-hydrophilic, high-loading biomaterials. Development of this technology was supported in part by a competitively awarded U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Breakthrough Award (2015–2018).
What are AqT® Linkers?
Derived from natural, edible sugar alcohols and engineered with unique chemical architectures, AqT® linkers are designed to overcome the limitations of traditional conjugation chemistries. The technology enables precise and efficient labeling or conjugation of biomolecules with highly hydrophobic small molecules, including fluorescent dyes, biotin, and small-molecule drugs, while preserving biomolecular integrity and solubility.
Branched AqT® linkers can also be customized to increase payload capacity, enabling higher loading of detection molecules and delivering enhanced sensitivity and performance in analytical and diagnostic applications.
Beyond research tools, the AqT® platform supports therapeutic development by improving solubility, stability, and biocompatibility. AqT® technology can accelerate drug discovery and support the development of new chemical entities (NCEs) and new biological entities (NBEs) with optimized drug profiles. This versatile platform offers solutions to long-standing challenges involving bioavailability, formulation stability, and toxicity in both small- and large-molecule drug development.
For more information about AqT® technology in therapeutic applications, please visit www.aqttherapeutics.com.
Structure of AqT® Linkers
Sugar molecules are among the most hydrophilic natural compounds because they can form extensive hydrogen bonds as both donors and acceptors. Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are hydrogenated carbohydrates in which the carbonyl group of an aldehyde or ketone is reduced to a hydroxyl group (–OH).
Sugar alcohols occur naturally in many plant-derived foods, including fruits and berries, and are commonly used as sweeteners or as building blocks for materials such as hydrogels. CellMosaic has developed advanced methods for assembling highly sophisticated AqT® architectures from sugar alcohol monomers.
Why AqT® Linkers are Different
AqT® linkers offer several advantages over traditional linkers and polydisperse carrier polymers:
1. Super-hydrophilicity: AqT® linkers are among the most hydrophilic linker molecules available, providing exceptional water solubility and enabling fine-tuned control of molecular properties after conjugation.
2. Versatile Crosslinking Chemistry: AqT® linkers enable the design of crosslinking reagents with a broad range of functional groups, making them highly versatile and tunable for different labeling and conjugation applications.
3. Enhanced Water Solubility: AqT® linkers significantly improve the water solubility of hydrophobic compounds, allowing conjugation reactions to be performed in fully aqueous buffers in most cases.
4. Preservation of Native Biopolymer Properties: Biopolymers such as antibodies, proteins, and peptides often aggregate or precipitate when labeled with hydrophobic small molecules. AqT® linkers are designed to increase the hydrophilicity and water solubility of these labeled biomolecules.
The hydroxyl groups (–OH) in AqT® linkers form extensive hydrogen bonds with surrounding water molecules, creating a protective microenvironment. This hydrated network helps shield neighboring small molecules and crosslinking moieties from stacking or interacting with one another.
As a result, biopolymers can be labeled with high levels of AqT®-modified molecules while minimizing changes to their native properties. The AqT®-stabilized hydrogen-bond network may also help protect biopolymers from enzymatic degradation and preserve their biological activity.
- AqT® linkers help preserve the native properties of biopolymers.
- AqT® technology is broadly biocompatible and suitable for a wide range of biopolymers.
Experimental Validation
The following analytical data demonstrate the distinctive physicochemical properties of AqT® linkers compared with conventional linker technologies.
Figure 1. C18 HPLC analysis comparing an AqT® linker with other commercially available linkers.
Figure 2. C18 HPLC analysis of monodisperse AqT® linkers with varying linker lengths.
Figure 3. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) analysis comparing unmodified antibody, conventionally biotinylated antibody (DOL 6.9), and AqT®-biotinylated antibodies prepared through surface amine labeling at various degrees of labeling.
Figure 4. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis comparing unmodified antibody, conventionally biotinylated antibody (DOL 6.9), and AqT®-biotinylated antibodies prepared through surface amine labeling at various degrees of labeling.
| Comparison | Conventional Biotin | AqT® Biotin |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrophobicity | Increased | Minimal change |
| Heterogeneity | High | Minimal |
| Apparent MW | Increased | No significant change |
| Aggregation | Increased | Minimal increase |
Patent & Licensing Information
Patent Protection
AqT® technology is protected by WO2013/012961A2; U.S. Patent Nos. 8,907,079 and 9,511,150; U.S. Patent Application No. 15/281,023; Chinese Patent No. 201280034231.3; Australian Patent No. 2012284055; Japanese Patent No. 2014-521744; and corresponding patents and patent applications in other countries, all owned by CellMosaic, Inc.
Research Use License
CellMosaic currently offers a limited selection of AqT® products for internal research and development use only. The purchase of an AqT® product conveys only a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and non-sublicensable license to use the product for the purchaser’s internal research and development purposes.
Except for this limited license, no right or license is granted, expressly or by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, under any patent, trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property right of CellMosaic.
Commercial Use Restrictions
Commercial use of AqT® products is strictly prohibited without a separate written agreement with CellMosaic. Prohibited commercial uses include, without limitation:
- Selling, leasing, licensing, distributing, or otherwise transferring the product or any materials derived from or produced using the product;
- Selling, leasing, licensing, or otherwise granting another party the right to use the product or any materials derived from or produced using the product; and
- Using the product to provide services to third parties for a fee or other consideration, including contract research, screening services, and diagnostic or therapeutic applications.
Commercial Licensing and Partnerships
For information regarding commercial licensing, please contact info@cellmosaic.com. To explore partnering or collaboration opportunities involving AqT® therapeutics, please visit www.aqttherapeutics.com.