Cancer Research UK and KisoJi Biotechnology Collaborate on First TROP2 Naked Antibody Clinical Advancement

LONDON and MONTREAL, Oct. 24, 2024 -- Cancer Research UK, a prominent organization dedicated to funding cancer research, has announced a significant partnership with KisoJi Biotechnology Inc. This collaboration aims to advance KisoJi's leading therapeutic candidate, KJ-103, into its first human clinical trial. KJ-103 is a unique naked anti-TROP2 antibody, engineered by KisoJi through its specialized antibody technology.

As part of this agreement, the Centre for Drug Development (CDD) at Cancer Research UK will be responsible for sponsoring, designing, and conducting a Phase 1/2a clinical trial of KJ-103, focusing on solid tumors that express TROP2. KisoJi will provide the antibody necessary for the trial and will collaborate with the CDD to finalize the preclinical data package. Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation division of Cancer Research UK, will oversee the commercial aspects of this relationship.

Different from antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), KJ-103 does not use a cytotoxic payload. Instead, it recruits immune cells to eliminate tumor cells by binding to TROP2 in a unique manner. This binding activates macrophages, which then phagocytize the tumor cells, resulting in their destruction. This mechanism offers a potential alternative for treating TROP2-expressing cancers, particularly where TROP2 ADCs have not been effective or have posed toxicity challenges. Cancers that express TROP2 include colorectal, head and neck, ovarian, breast, bladder, and lung cancers.

Lars Erwig, Director of the CDD, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with KisoJi, emphasizing that this partnership aligns with their mission to explore innovative treatments for challenging cancers. He highlighted the unique mechanism of KJ-103, which leverages the immune system to target tumors without the associated toxicity of drug conjugates, offering new hope for patients with TROP2-positive solid tumors.

David Young, co-founder and CEO of KisoJi, shared his excitement about moving KJ-103 into clinical trials with the support of Cancer Research UK. He noted that KJ-103 represents the first in a new generation of antibodies developed from KisoJi's advanced technology platform, which utilizes AI and biological insights to create groundbreaking antibody therapeutics.

The Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug Development has a strong track record of pioneering new cancer treatments, having taken over 160 potential new anti-cancer agents into clinical trials over the past 30 years. Six of these agents have successfully reached the market, including temozolomide for brain cancer, abiraterone for prostate cancer, and rucaparib for ovarian cancer. Currently, the center has 16 projects in preclinical development or early clinical trials.

KisoJi Biotechnology, based in Canada, employs cutting-edge scientific and AI tools to revolutionize therapeutic antibody discovery. The company has developed innovative technologies, including a multi-species transgenic mouse for generating diverse single-domain antibodies and a modular antibody scaffold with high stability and productivity. KisoJi has also utilized advanced AI tools to map the entire antibody landscape against specific targets, uncovering novel biological insights and therapeutic possibilities.

KJ-103, a single domain antibody developed by KisoJi, binds to a distinct epitope on TROP2 and activates effector cell mechanisms, including macrophage activation, to destroy tumor cells. Preclinical studies have demonstrated significant anti-tumor efficacy for KJ-103 with no observed toxicity or resistance. The antibody was humanized by LifeArc.

This collaboration between Cancer Research UK and KisoJi Biotechnology represents a promising step forward in the development of new cancer treatments, offering hope for patients with TROP2-expressing cancers.