Rakuten Medical Inc. has presented preclinical results with RM-0256, a PD-L1-targeted photoimmunotherapy, showing its ability to kill immunosuppressive myeloid cells to activate local and systemic antitumor immunity.

UL16 binding protein 6 (ULBP6) is a molecule belonging to the stress-induced NKG2D ligand family and its expression is up-regulated on the surface of cancerous cells, binding to the immune-activating NKG2D receptor on natural killer (NK) and T cells, thus promoting immune evasion.

A drive to overcome the limitations of traditional antibodies led Toronto-based scientists Jean-Philippe Julien and Bebhinn Treanor to work toward discovering a multivalent, multispecific platform to develop therapies that can reach difficult targets. As a result, through the support of VC firm Amplitude Ventures, Radiant Biotherapeutics emerged in 2020 armed with what has become its Multabody platform.

Candid Therapeutics Inc. launched with ex-China control of two bispecific T-cell engager antibodies that it plans to develop for autoimmune diseases. The San Diego-based company will start off with a pocketful of cash, having raised over $370 million for the development of the in-licensed candidates.

Distinguishing between contract law and patent law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against a Merck KGaA subsidiary, saying Ares Trading SA is still on the hook for paying royalties to a research partner through 2027 on sales of its cancer drug Bavencio (avelumab), a PD-L1 inhibitor granted accelerated approval in 2017 as a treatment for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

Highfield Biopharmaceuticals Inc. has filed an IND application with China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to conduct a clinical trial of HF-50, an immunoliposome that directs T cells to attack solid tumors and enhances anticancer activity with an immune modulator.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is an IL-6 type cytokine involved in the inflammatory response, stem cell self-renewal and tumor progression, that binds to LIFR and gp130 on the cell surface. LIF is overexpressed in several types of cancer such as pancreatic, breast or prostate cancer and thus is considered a therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer.