CMC ICOS Biologics, a Bothell, Washington-based clinical and commercial manufacturer of monoclonal antibodies, coagulation factors, and other therapeutic proteins, and Harpoon Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing T-cell recruiting biologic therapies, have agreed to develop and manufacture Harpoon’s HPN424, HPN536, and HPN217, three molecules for treating various human cancers.

Harpoon Therapeutics says its TriTAC molecules are half-life extended and designed to simultaneously bind to cancer cells and T-cells, triggering those T-cells to attack the targeted cancer cells. These molecules contain three binding domains: one domain binds a specific tumor target; the second domain binds to human serum albumin; and the third domain binds to T-cells. Harpoon’s first clinical candidate, HPN424, a prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeting TriTAC, is in development for treating metastatic prostate cancer and is expected to enter Phase I clinical trials in 2018.

Source: CMC ICOS Biologics