Kivu Bioscience develops next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) utilizing site-specific conjugation technology, specifically targeting asparagine-297 to enhance homogeneity and stability while minimizing off-target toxicity. The company addresses the need for more effective cancer treatments by creating highly stable ADCs with optimized linker and payload combinations that improve therapeutic efficacy and patient tolerability.
Funding
$92M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
NHFounders
Product
Problem
Current antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) often suffer from off-target toxicities and limited efficacy due to heterogeneous drug-antibody ratios, instability in plasma, and suboptimal payload delivery to tumor cells. These limitations can lead to dose reductions, treatment interruptions, and ultimately, reduced patient survival rates.
Solution
Kivu Bioscience is developing next-generation ADCs designed for improved safety and efficacy in oncology. The company leverages site-specific conjugation technology, GlycoConnect™, to precisely attach payloads to the antibody at asparagine-297, resulting in a homogenous ADC product with a defined drug-antibody ratio (DAR). This approach, combined with optimized hydrophilic linkers and clinically validated payloads, enhances ADC stability, reduces off-target toxicity by silencing Fc binding, and maximizes therapeutic impact within tumor cells through increased potency and bystander killing capability. Kivu's ADCs are designed to address the limitations of existing ADC therapies, widening the therapeutic window and improving patient outcomes.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes oncology researchers and clinicians seeking more effective and safer ADC therapies for solid tumors.
Features
- Site-specific conjugation at asparagine-297 using Synaffix’s GlycoConnect™ technology for homogenous ADCs
- Defined drug-antibody ratio (DAR) for consistent and predictable drug delivery
- Hydrophilic linkers to increase polarity, reduce payload hydrophobicity and aggregation, and improve payload retention
- Clinically validated payloads with higher potency compared to previous payloads in the same class
- Payloads demonstrate high permeability, bystander killing capability, and resistance to drug efflux transporters
- Silenced Fc binding to potentially reduce off-target toxicity associated with immune cell uptake in non-tumor tissues
- Enhanced plasma stability to further reduce off-target side effects