Tharimmune Secures Rights to Develop Innovative Antibody Drug Conjugates

Tharimmune, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has entered into an exclusive option agreement with Washington University in St. Louis to develop and commercialize hybridomas and antibodies targeting human HER2. This collaboration aims to advance cancer immunology research initially conducted at Washington University School of Medicine. HER2, a critical tumor target, has been extensively researched in the context of solid tumors and is part of the ERBB receptor family, which plays a key role in cancer cell progression and metastasis.

The new technology targets both HER2 and HER3 receptors, expanding the scope of potential treatments beyond existing therapies. These advancements may offer a more comprehensive approach by targeting multiple epitopes and creating novel multispecific antibodies and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Randy Milby, Chief Executive Officer of Tharimmune, highlighted the significance of integrating Washington University's foundational research into their early-stage pipeline, aiming at developing multi-specific novel antibodies for cancer treatment.

Furthermore, Tharimmune plans to continue enhancing its early-stage pipeline by incorporating novel antibodies derived from bovine animals, which exhibit ultra-long complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) domains. This innovation could target previously inaccessible epitopes, offering a new dimension to antibody development. The 'Knob domain' antibodies, with their unique structural diversity, aim to efficiently target multiple cell surface portions of validated tumor targets.