XenImmune develops antibody-enzyme fusion proteins that modify tumor cell membranes to present foreign glycoantigens, effectively flagging them for immune system rejection. This approach enhances the immunogenicity of tumors, enabling the immune system to recognize and attack previously unrecognized cancer cells.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Many tumors evade the immune system because they are not recognized as foreign, making them difficult to target with traditional immunotherapies. Current cancer treatments often fail to elicit a strong immune response against tumor cells, leading to disease progression and limited long-term survival.
Solution
XenImmune is developing a novel immuno-oncology platform that leverages antibody-enzyme fusion proteins to modify tumor cell surfaces, presenting foreign glycoantigens and triggering hyperacute rejection. The company's approach uses a tumor-specific antibody fused to a glycosyl transferase (GT) enzyme. This fusion protein binds to tumor-associated antigens, and upon administration of UDP-Gal, the GT enzyme transfers Gal sugars to glycosylation sites on the tumor cell membranes, converting the tumor into a non-self entity. This process mimics the immune response to a mismatched organ transplant, prompting the body's pre-existing antibodies to recognize and reject the cancer.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with difficult-to-treat solid tumors that are not effectively targeted by existing immunotherapies, as well as oncologists and researchers seeking novel approaches to enhance tumor immunogenicity.
Features
- Antibody-enzyme fusion proteins that target tumor-specific antigens
- Glycosyl transferase (GT) enzyme modifies tumor cell surfaces with foreign glycoantigens
- Induces hyperacute rejection, mimicking the immune response to mismatched organ transplants
- Modular platform adaptable to different solid tumor-specific antigens
- Demonstrated proof of concept in common tumor types in both in vitro and in vivo settings