Human Immunology Biosciences
Analysis
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Human Immunology Biosciences (HI-Bio) is a clinical-stage biotec focused on precision medicines for people suffering from immune-mediated diseases (IMDs). As much as 4 percent of the world's population may have one of these diseases. Conventional therapies are generally broad acting, and do not address the root causes of disease. As a result, many patients with IMDs experience limited relief from their symptoms and may experience unnecessary side effects.
More than half of people treated with currently available therapies are not in remission. Many IMDs stem from the dysfunction of cells that make up the immune system, including plasma cells, neutrophils, mast cells and more. These cells are responsible for critical functions and processes, including, for example, the secretion of antibodies, signaling mediators, tissue repair and allergic responses. HI-Bio's programs apply a precision medicine approach to target, modulate or deplete these cellular drivers of disease with therapeutics.
HI-Bio’s clinical-stage assets include felzartamab, an anti-CD38 antibody, and HIB210, an anti-C5aR1 antibody. Felzartamab targets a protein expressed on the surface of mature plasma cells whose dysfunction is thought to drive several IMDs. When applied, felzartamab is believed to deplete plasmablasts and plasma cells, resulting in the removal of cells that produce disease-causing autoantibodies. HI-Bio is testing felzartamab for membranous nephropathy (MN) and IgA nephropathy (IgAN), with the potential to be the best-in-class therapy for autoantibody diseases. HIB210 is currently in ongoing Phase 1 safety testing, with anticipated studies in IMDs currently being planned.
Felzartamab and HIB210 were in-licensed through a transaction with MorphoSys in June 2022. HI-Bio holds exclusive worldwide rights for felzartamab, with the exception of Greater China, and exclusive worldwide rights except Greater China and South Korea for HIB210. Terms included a 15% equity stake in HI-Bio, milestone payments and single- to low- double-digit royalties on net sales. HI-Bio is also advancing discovery programs targeting the dysfunction of mast cells implicated in several undisclosed indications.
Underlying HI-Bio's clinical pipeline is a platform that encompasses human genetics, human immunophenotyping, data sciences and therapeutic engineering. Using emerging insights from research and development efforts to profile the immune phenotypes that drive IMDs.
