Nona Biosciences Collaborates with Umoja Biopharma on In Vivo CAR-T Cell Therapies

Nona Biosciences, a leading global biotechnology firm specializing in comprehensive solutions from "Idea to IND" (I to ITM), has announced a new collaboration with Umoja Biopharma, a company focusing on transformative immunotherapy. This partnership will harness Nona's fully human heavy chain only antibody (HCAb) technology to create innovative drug candidates for CAR-T cell therapy, with the aim of advancing treatments in oncology and autoimmune diseases.

Fully human HCAbs are promising due to their potential to reduce immunogenicity, owing to their compact size, simplified structure, and precise binding properties. The alliance will integrate Nona's HCAb Harbour Mice® platform and NonaCarFx™ screening platform with Umoja's VivoVec™ platform to develop new in vivo CAR-T cell therapies. This collaboration could significantly broaden the applicability and efficacy of this cutting-edge delivery technology.

Dr. Jingsong Wang, MD, PhD, Chairman of Nona Biosciences, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting that Nona's technologies and extensive experience in oncology and immunology would be instrumental in helping Umoja generate novel CAR-T cell therapies. Dr. Byoung Ryu, Umoja's Executive Vice President of Discovery Research and Vector Biology, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Nona's ability to produce highly functional CAR candidates. He highlighted that this collaboration aims to develop multiple in vivo drug candidates, which could ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Nona Biosciences is renowned for its innovation in biotechnology, offering a complete solution from target validation and antibody discovery through to preclinical research. Their services encompass antigen preparation, animal immunization, single B cell screening, and antibody lead generation and engineering. They also specialize in developability assessment and pharmacological evaluation, leveraging the Harbour Mice platforms and their experienced therapeutic antibody discovery team. Harbour Mice® is capable of generating fully human monoclonal antibodies in both the classical two light and two heavy chain (H2L2) format and the heavy chain only (HCAb) format. By integrating Harbour Mice® with a single B cell cloning platform, Nona Biosciences is dedicated to driving global innovations in next-generation drugs.

Umoja Biopharma is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing off-the-shelf therapeutics to improve the reach and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapies for both oncology and autoimmune diseases. Umoja's VivoVec™ in vivo gene delivery technology aims to harness a patient’s own immune system to combat disease. Headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, Umoja’s advanced lentiviral vector development and manufacturing facility supports its core technology. The company’s mission is to provide broader access to advanced immunotherapies, enabling more patients to live healthier, fuller lives.

In conclusion, the collaboration between Nona Biosciences and Umoja Biopharma marks a significant step forward in the field of CAR-T cell therapy. By combining their unique technologies and expertise, both companies aim to develop innovative treatments that could revolutionize the management of cancer and autoimmune diseases, ultimately benefiting patients on a global scale.