Our Technology
HCW Biologics has combined a deep understanding of disease-related immunology with expertise in advanced protein engineering to develop two drug design and discovery platforms.
TOBI™ Platform
Our TOBI™ (Tissue factOr-Based fusIon) platform is a proprietary immunotherapeutic drug design and discovery platform1,2 which enables us to construct multi-domain cytokine-based immunotherapeutics using a Tissue-Factor (“TF”) scaffold.
The domains of TOBI-based molecules are discrete and can be “turned on” and “turned off.” We have evaluated a TOBI-based molecule in clinical trials and have generated human data that shows that this molecule is capable of achieving the desired immune responses against solid tumors, including ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Based on other research, we believe that other TOBI-based molecules could activate the designed immune responses against other diseases or infected cells by blocking unwanted autoimmune / inflammatory activities1,2.
Based on a TF scaffold, the TOBI platform packs multiple protein targets, including cytokines, single-chain antibodies, and ligands, into a fusion molecule. These molecules are capable of engaging immunostimulatory functions and addressing many signaling pathways simultaneously. Some of these fusion protein complexes have ex vivo and in vivo applications. Moreover, the TOBI platform is reproducible and suitable for cGMP manufacturing1,2.
The Company has constructed over 30 molecules with the TOBI platform, and we have selected HCW9302, HCW9206, HCW9201, and HCW9218 are the lead product candidates.
- Zhu X, et al. A novel interleukin-2-based fusion molecule, HCW9302, differentially promotes regulatory T cell expansion to treat atherosclerosis in mice. Front Immunol. 2023 Jan 25;14:1114802.
- Shrestha N, et al. A “Prime and Expand” strategy using the multifunctional fusion proteins to generate memory-like NK cells for cell therapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2024 Jul 3;73(9):179.
TRBC Platform
HCW Biologics has developed a second-generation drug discovery technology referred to as the TRBC platform to design immunotherapeutics that not only activate and target immune responses but are also equipped with receptors that specifically target cancerous or infected cells. The platform is built around TRBC protein as a scaffold domain.
Molecules created with the TRBC platform integrate multiple protein targets, such as cytokines, single-chain antibodies, and ligands, into a single fusion complex designed to engage immunostimulatory functions and modulate various signaling pathways. This flexible, adaptable platform has facilitated the development of a groundbreaking pipeline of internally developed product candidates.
This versatile scaffold enables the creation of multiple classes of immunotherapeutic compounds:
Class I: Multi-Functional Immune Cell Stimulators – Multifunctional, cytokine-based immunotherapeutic compounds.
Class II: Second-Generation Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors – Multifunctional immunotherapeutic fusions which improve the performance of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Class III: Multi-Specific Targeting Fusions and Enhanced Immune Cell Engagers – Constructs with immune-cell engagers targeting cell-surface antigens associated with diseased cells.
These novel immunotherapeutics can be used to treat a wide range of disease indications, including oncology, autoimmune diseases, and improving quality of life conditions. The Company has constructed over 30 molecules using the TRBC platform, including HCW11-002, HCW11-006, HCW11-018 and HCW11-027.
TRBC Platform
