Zag Bio develops thymus‑targeted bifunctional antibodies that deliver disease‑relevant self‑antigens to antigen‑presenting cells in the thymus, inducing antigen‑specific regulatory T cells that restore local immune tolerance. By leveraging central T‑cell tolerance, its platform aims to provide durable, disease‑modifying treatment for autoimmune conditions without the systemic immunosuppression of current therapies.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
8OJTFounders
Product
Problem
Autoimmune diseases arise when central tolerance fails, leading to insufficient regulatory T cells that prevent the immune system from attacking self‑tissues. Current therapies rely on broad immunosuppression, which carries toxicity, infection risk, and does not halt disease progression.
Solution
Zag Bio develops thymus‑targeted bifunctional antibodies that deliver disease‑relevant self‑antigens to antigen‑presenting cells within the thymus. By presenting these antigens during T cell development, the therapy promotes the differentiation of antigen‑specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) that home to affected tissues and restore local immune tolerance. The approach leverages the body’s natural central tolerance mechanism, aiming for durable, disease‑modifying effects without the systemic immunosuppression of existing treatments. Zag Bio’s platform combines a thymus‑targeting antibody domain, an engineered Fc region for enhanced activity, and a recombinant peripheral antigen fused to the antibody scaffold, enabling off‑the‑shelf, repeat‑dose biologics for multiple autoimmune indications.
Target Audience
Primary customers are pharmaceutical companies and biotech developers seeking disease‑modifying therapies for autoimmune conditions, as well as clinical programs targeting diseases such as type 1 diabetes, gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and neurological autoimmunity.
Features
- Bifunctional antibody architecture that couples a thymus‑targeting variable domain with a recombinant self‑antigen for delivery to thymic APCs
- Engineered Fc region to boost therapeutic potency and support repeat dosing
- Induction of antigen‑specific Tregs that exhibit epigenetic stability and long‑term lineage commitment
- Treg homing to peripheral tissues expressing the target antigen, providing localized, bystander suppression of autoimmune inflammation
- Off‑the‑shelf manufacturing process for scalable, consistent production of antibody therapeutics
- Platform applicability across diverse autoimmune diseases, including those with multiple or unknown autoantigens