Pioneering B cell immunotherapy
We are pushing the boundaries of science to transform patient lives.
Our goal is to regulate the B cell immune response to treat complex diseases.
B cells form the pillar of our immune response. Recruitment and activation of B cells in solid tumors is associated with improved outcomes, including with immune checkpoint inhibitors¹¯³, while dysfunctional B cells are implicated in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, etc⁴. Modulating B cells opens up a new frontier in immunotherapy that can transform the lives of patients with these conditions.
¹Nature. 577, 549-555 (2020); ²Nature. 597, 274-278 (2021); ³Cancer Cell. 41(3):466-489 (2023); ⁴Nat Rev Drug Discov 20, 179–199 (2021).
Transformative science
Our lead candidate, AT1965, a small molecule, is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials for advanced solid malignancies. AT1965 inhibits CMTR2, a novel target, in cancer cells, which recruits a B cell immune response. AT-1965 regressed hard-to-treat solid tumors when given as monotherapy in preclinical studies and was synergistic with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
A complete immune response requires all immune cells to participate. Hence, activating T cells, macrophages or NK cells alone only goes half the distance. B cells exert a complete immune response, directly acting on cancer cells, and activating other immune cells. Clinically, B cells is associated with improved survival outcomes in most solid tumors, including breast, sarcoma, HNSCC, cervical, melanoma, etc¹¯³.