Candid Therapeutics Inc. has entered into a number of collaborations aimed at advancing its pipeline of T-cell engagers (TCEs) for autoimmune diseases. The company will be collaborating with Epimab Biotherapeutics Inc., Ab Studio Inc. and Nona Biosciences.

Cancer and autoimmunity are “often thought of as being at opposite ends of the immune response,” Ana Anderson told her audience at a joint meeting of the NIH’s Office of Autoimmune Disease Research and Office of Research in Women’s Health earlier this month. Cancer, that line of reasoning goes, arises when the immune system is not good enough at recognizing harmful autoantigens. Autoimmunity arises when it is hypervigilant, mistaking harmless autoantigens for problematic ones and going on the attack.

Cyrus Biotechnology Inc. has reported data on its engineered IdeS (IgG-degrading enzyme of S. pyogenes) protease for IgG-driven autoimmune disease, showing potent activity on repeat doses in a rabbit redosing model while eliciting no anti-drug antibodies.

Researchers from the University of Connecticut have worked in the development of a collection of propargyl-linked antifolate (PLA) chemotypes for infectious pathogens with different functionalities, including potential anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-infection activities.