Harbour BioMed to Present HBM1020 Progress at ESMO 2024

Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company specializing in novel antibody therapeutics for oncology and immunology, has announced the forthcoming presentation of new clinical data on its pioneering human anti-B7H7/HHLA2 monoclonal antibody, HBM1020. This data will be shared at the ESMO Congress 2024, scheduled from September 13-17, 2024, in Barcelona, Spain.

HBM1020, developed from the Harbour Mice® H2L2 transgenic mice platform, is the world's first therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting B7H7/HHLA2 to enter clinical trials. Preliminary results from a phase I, multi-center, open-label trial (NCT05824663) have indicated that HBM1020 has promising safety and tolerability profiles in patients with advanced solid tumors.

The clinical findings will be highlighted in a poster presentation at the ESMO Congress 2024. Specific details of the presentation are as follows:

- Title: Ph I Dose-Escalation Study of HBM1020, a Novel Anti-B7H7 Antibody in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
- Presentation Number: 1010P
- Onsite Poster Display Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024
- Speaker: Jason Henry

All accepted abstracts will be made available online on the ESMO website.

HBM1020 is a groundbreaking fully human monoclonal antibody created through Harbour Mice® H2L2 transgenic mice, targeting B7H7/HHLA2. B7H7, also recognized as HHLA2, belongs to the B7 family of immune modulatory molecules, which are crucial in regulating T-cell responses and are highly significant in cancer immunotherapy. Current immune-oncology therapies often target members of the B7 family, such as PD-(L)1 and CTLA-4, transforming cancer treatment with remarkable clinical outcomes.

B7H7 stands out within the B7 family because its expression does not overlap with PD-L1 across various tumor types, suggesting it may represent an alternative immune evasion pathway distinct from PD-(L)1. This is particularly important for PD-L1 negative or refractory patients, where B7H7 might play a critical role in allowing tumors to evade immune detection. HBM1020 works by blocking this novel immune checkpoint, thereby enhancing anti-tumor immunity. Preclinical studies have shown that HBM1020 activates the immune system and has anti-tumor functional activities.

The innovative biological mechanisms of HBM1020 offer a new therapeutic option that complements existing PD-(L)1 therapies, especially for patients who are PD-L1 negative or refractory.

Harbour BioMed is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel antibody therapeutics in the fields of immunology and oncology. The company is advancing a robust portfolio and differentiated pipeline through its internal research and development capabilities, partnerships in co-discovery and co-development, and strategic acquisitions.

The company's proprietary antibody technology platforms, including Harbour Mice®, generate fully human monoclonal antibodies in both the two heavy and two light chains (H2L2) format and the heavy chain only (HCAb) format. Harbour BioMed leverages these technologies to create HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE®) bispecific antibody technology, which can deliver tumor-killing effects unattainable by traditional combination therapies. By integrating Harbour Mice® with HBICE® and a single B cell cloning platform, the company's antibody discovery engine is uniquely efficient in developing next-generation therapeutic antibodies.