CHA Biotech, US’ CanCure Sign Deal to Develop NK Cell Therapy

CHA Biotech Co., Ltd., a biotech firm developing and manufacturing cell therapy-related optical, digital, and medical products, has partnered with CanCure, a US-based immunotherapy biotech firm. They agreed to co-develop natural killer (NK) cell therapy.

CHA Biotech confirmed its collaboration with CanCure on Monday, Jan. 29. According to The Korea Times, the company signed a material transfer agreement to design and produce an anti-MIC antibody treatment.

The NK Cells Therapy

It was explained that the anti-MIC antibody earmarks the MIC antigen (MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence) demonstrated by cancer cells. Moreover, the MIC alludes to a type of protein that plays a crucial part in regulating and controlling the NK cell killing of cancer cells. Once the NK cells identify MICA or MICB emerging from cancerous cells, the faculty to quash cancer cells diminishes.

For its project with CanCure, CHA Biotech plans to review the therapeutic effect and level of effectiveness of the combined MIC-targeted antibodies and allogeneic NK cells. CHA Biotech stated, “CanCure’s anti-MIC antibody can reverse the immune suppression of tumor-shed MIC and enhance the tumor-killing ability of NK cells, allowing NK cells more powerful control of cancer cells.”

CHA Biotech and CanCure’s Agreement

Korea Biomedical Review reported that under the agreement signed by CHA Biotech and CanCure, the South Korean biotech firm will receive a material transfer of antibodies that focuses on MHC class I antigens from the latter. After the clinical plan is finalized, the former will check the therapeutic effects of the antibodies and NK cells in different cancer models.

Lee Jung Hyun, the chief executive officer of CHA Biotech, added, “To expand and strengthen CHA Biotech’s NK cell therapy pipelines, we are pursuing multiple combination strategies with immune checkpoint inhibitors and antibodies. We are planning on increasing the speed and success rate of clinical trials for our NK cell therapy through an open innovation approach with novel biopharmaceuticals and technologies.”

Photo by: CHA Biotech Website