Pioneering transformative immunomodulating therapies to improve outcomes for patients
Our immune system is our best defense against diseases, as it recognizes and destroys diseased cells. But sometimes, this defense does not work as intended when diseased cells manage to hide from immune cells or when the immune system turns against the body.
Our proprietary ImmTAX (Immune Mobilizing Monoclonal TCRs Against X disease) technology is designed to address these limitations, by activating the immune system to make infected or tumor cells visible and then destroy them, or by turning off the immune system to reduce an autoimmune response.
T cells – a key type of white blood cell – constantly survey the body for foreign, infected or abnormal cells by recognizing specific antigens displayed on the surface of these cells. When a T cell encounters cells with antigens recognized as abnormal, it binds, activates and initiates cytotoxic processes that lead to the destruction of the targeted cell.
But as effective as T cells are at keeping the body clear of threats, unhealthy cells have their own mechanisms for evading the body’s defenses. Some cancers, for example, display antigens in very low levels, making them harder to identify.
By affinity-enhancing human TCRs and strapping them to an effector arm that recruits T cells, we are able to overcome the limitations of our natural immune system and current therapeutic approaches.
Harnessing the power of the immune system
Our ImmTAX technology platform was engineered to unlock a universe of diseases, by taking advantage of the T cell receptor’s ability to target proteins coming from inside an unhealthy cell.
Whereas existing forms of immunotherapy such as antibodies are limited to extracellular proteins, ImmTAX molecules are in theory capable of targeting 90% of infected and tumor cells.
By affinity-enhancing human TCRs and strapping them to an effector arm that recruits T cells, we are able to overcome the limitations of our natural immune system and current therapeutic approaches.
And because ImmTAX technology is modular, the targeting or effector arms can be switched out depending on the disease target and the intended immune system response.
ImmTAC
Making a difference for people living with cancer
In cancer, our ImmTAC molecules are designed to recognize and bind to the chosen target antigen presented by the cell (through an HLA complex). Then the recruiting arm (an anti-CD3 effector function) engages T cells to kill the cancer cell through lytic processes.
ImmTAV
Pursuing functional cures
Our ImmTAV molecules are being investigated as a new approach for the treatment of chronic infections by redirecting non-exhausted immune cells to attack infected cells, even if those cells present levels of target antigen that are too low for the natural immune system to see.
ImmTAAI
Investigating organ-specific immune suppression
As well as telling the immune system to kill an unhealthy cell, our technology can be engineered to switch off the immune system when it’s killing a healthy cell. ImmTAAI molecules do this by targeting a specific organ under attack and inhibiting the immune pathway to the rogue T cells.
A new wave of immunotherapies
Underpinned by our ImmTAX platform, we are investigating new therapies for multiple indications in oncology, infectious disease and autoimmune conditions.
View our pipeline