Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has entered an option and research collaboration agreement with Monash University to discover and develop antibodies targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) with the aim of creating novel therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a diverse etiology, with high unmet clinical needs. Researchers from Tavotek Biotherapeutics (Hong Kong) Ltd. presented data on TAVO-412, a trispecific EGFR/cMET/VEGF (2:1:1 binding arm ratio) antibody for the potential treatment of TNBC.

Treatment with anti-CD19 bispecific T-cell engager and CAR T therapies can lead to T-cell exhaustion and treatment failure. Novartis AG’s first-in-class anti-CD19, anti-CD3 and anti-CD2 IgG-like trispecific antibody PIT-565, which engages CD19+ on tumor cells, and CD3 (TCR signaling component) and CD2 (a costimulatory receptor) on T cells simultaneously to redirect T-cell cytotoxicity toward CD19-positive malignant B cells, has been designed to avoid T-cell exhaustion.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DL3 (KIR3DL3) is a member of the killer cell Ig-like (KIR) receptor family. When KIR3DL3 is expressed on T and natural killer (NK) cells in the tumor microenvironment, it suppresses immune responses following engagement with HHLA2, suggesting that the KIR3DL3-HHLA2 axis potentially represents a novel immune checkpoint pathway and that blockade of KIR3DL3 signaling could promote antitumor immunity.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. has elected to exercise its right to advance a therapeutic antibody candidate, discovered in partnership with Abcellera Biologics Inc. as part of a multitarget collaboration between the companies, into further preclinical development.

Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. has published data on the identification, in vitro binding and neutralizing activity of a novel monoclonal antibody (MAb), STI-5041, against the SARS-CoV-2 WA-1 strain as well as the alpha and beta variants from their G-MAB library screening.