Harbour BioMed has concluded the first participant dosing in Phase I clinical trial of HBM7008, a bispecific antibody that acts on Tumor Associated Antigen B7H4x4-1BB, in Australia.
In this study, the company will evaluate HBM7008’s tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and initial anti-tumour activity in solid tumour patients.
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Developed from the company’s HBICE platform, using the advantages of HBM HCAb and H2L2 platforms, HBM7008 targets B7H4, mediated crosslinking T cell activation through 4-1BB.
B7H4 is overexpressed on various solid tumours, including ovarian, breast, endometrial, and non-small cell lung cancers.
HBM7008 has crosslinking dependent specificity on tumours and potent immune modulation activity and demonstrated safety profile in pre-clinical study.
Harbour BioMed said in a statement: “As the first-in-class bispecific antibody targeting B7H4 and 4-1BB, HBM7008 is expected to lead the development of next-generation immunotherapeutic.
“Following its global innovation and development strategy, Harbour BioMed will advance the global clinical development project of HBM7008 at full speed.”
Displaying high potency in the T cell co-stimulation and tumour growth inhibition, HBM7008 may also translate to better safety due to its TAA-mediated crosslinking T cell activation dependency.
Due to its unique specificity on tumours and immune modulation activity, the antibody is said to be a promising therapeutic in PD-L1 negative or PD-1/PD-L1 resistant patients.
Furthermore, it has the potential to avoid 4-1BB liver toxicity risk observed in other products.
Last month, Harbour BioMed announced an international out-license agreement with AstraZeneca for CLDN18.2xCD3 bispecific antibody HBM7022.
In May last year, Harbour BioMed started dosing patients with HBM4003 in the second Phase I part of a Phase Ib/IIa trial for solid tumours.
