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. 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 as 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
Our Proprietary T-Cell Receptor β Chain Constant Region (“TRBC”) Drug Discovery and Development Platform is a second-generation drug discovery technology platform that the company recently invented, to create immunotherapeutics that activate immune responses and specifically target cancerous or infected cells. The platform utilizes the TRBC protein as a scaffold to build multi-chain chimeric polypeptides, which include target-binding domains and affinity domains, enabling the targeting of specific antigens. We believe these polypeptides stimulate immune cells, modulating immune functions and signaling pathways.
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 improve quality of life. The Company has constructed over 50 molecules using the TRBC platform, including HCW11-002, HCW11-006, HCW11-018 and HCW11-040.
