On the forefront of what we are doing are our antibody engineering capabilities to design novel molecules that address inflammation and cancer and exhibit best-in-class profiles for safety and efficacy aimed at effectively improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
OncoOne Antibody Technology: Engineering for Precision Therapeutics
The Pioneers for oxMIF and Wizards of Antibody Engineering are at the forefront of precision medicine. Monoclonal antibodies have revolutionized immunotherapy and are the preferred modalities to target cytokines and tumor antigens. Antibody engineering has emerged as a critical step to optimize their therapeutic potential. At OncoOne, our world-class team of antibody engineers develop and optimize unique, tailor-engineered mAbs with precisely defined functionalities, specifically tailored for individual therapeutic indications. OncoOne is pioneering two cutting-edge technology platforms that are unlocking a new era of therapeutic breakthroughs. These transformative platforms, driven by antibody engineering, are poised to revolutionize the treatment of major chronic inflammatory and oncological diseases.
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
Anti-oxMIF
Our pipeline of novel antibodies against oxMIF is a highly promising target to unlock new therapeutic approaches in chronic inflammation and Immuno-Oncology .
PreTarg-it®
A modular platform utilizing bispecific antibodies for pre-targeted radioimmunotherapy, directed at treating a variety of hard-to-treat cancers.
Anti-oxMIF PLATFORM: The Magic Bullet Approach
Nobel Laureate Paul Ehrlich developed the concept of the “magic bullet” treatment, a medication that could specifically and efficiently target a disease without harming the body. OncoOne takes inspiration from this concept and uses modern biomedical research to advance innovative targeted therapeutics for chronic inflammatory and oncological indications.
Our founders have made a groundbreaking discovery that the oxidative environment in inflamed tissues and solid tumours activates Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), creating an oxidized form, known as oxidized MIF (oxMIF). By this post-translational oxidation oxMIF adopts a flexible structure and reveals hidden epitopes within the compact MIF trimer. Focusing on this discovery, we’re developing anti-oxMIF specific antibodies that selectively bind to these epitopes and inhibit disease promoting activities in affected areas.
Unique to inflamed or cancerous tissues, oxMIF becomes an invaluable therapeutic target and provides the opportunity to restrict therapeutic activities exclusively to diseased sites. OxMIF’s precursor MIF is a ubiquitously expressed pleiotropic cytokine described as counter-regulator of exogenous and endogenous glucocorticoids and has been associated with high tumor burden, increased metastasis risk, and poor prognosis in cancer patients. In more than 20 years of research, MIF has been investigated for therapeutic strategies in chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer, but its prevalence throughout the body has been a barrier to developing effective therapies. However, today we know that it is not MIF but oxMIF that is responsible for these pathogenic processes.
Our antibodies recognize oxMIF with enormous specificity and selectivity to ensure no interference with the non-pathological MIF. These antibodies enable OncoOne to deliver therapeutic activities directly to diseased sites, sparing the healthy organs. This approach allows OncoOne to overcome the current limitations of systemic anticancer and immunosuppressive therapies, which are currently limited by off-target effects. Besides inhibiting MIF activity only in the diseased area, we can also exploit oxMIF for diagnostic purposes, helping in identifying sites of active inflammation and solid tumors.
Therefore, we provide unique antibodies with tailored functionalities precisely engineered for individual indications, with an established GMP-conform and efficient production process.
OncoOne is at the forefront of current approaches to advance precision medicine with site-restricted targeted therapeutics. Our discovery that oxMIF is generated exclusively in the oxidative environment at sites of inflammation provides the basis for a groundbreaking and versatile approach to direct therapeutics exclusively to diseased sites. This breakthrough fuels our commitment to harness the full potential of therapeutics. Through this innovative approach, OncoOne aims to change therapeutic approaches to disease and also enhance patient outcomes in cancer and inflammation. We leverage the potential of our discovery with a proprietary pipeline of novel antibodies against oxMIF – our highly promising platform of targeted precision medicine, unlocking new therapeutic approaches in Immuno-Oncology and chronic inflammation.
PreTarg-it® platform
OncoOne’s PreTarg-it® technology is a modular platform utilizing bispecific antibodies for pre-targeted radioimmunotherapy for a variety of hard-to-treat cancers. The size, geometry, and valency of the bispecific antibodies are designed for optimal penetration and retention within tumors for optimized site-restricted delivery of payloads.
Initially, the injected antibody accumulates in the tumor, while unbound antibodies are degraded a few excreted within a few days after delivery. Secondly, a construct containing the radioactive payload is administered that specifically binds to the bispecific antibody in the tumor. This two-step approach provides higher tumor-to-non-tumor ratios and improved therapeutic indexes compared to traditional approaches. The modular “target X × payload Y” concept allows specific targeting of tumor antigens with toxic payloads of different substance classes, like radionuclides, immunomodulators, and (encapsulated) toxins.
We are currently developing four proof-of-concept studies for our PreTarg-it® platform to address solid tumors therapeutically with targets like oxMIF, mesothelin (MSLN), folate receptor-α (FRα), and HER2
Conventional radioimmunotherapy exposes the healthy tissue to high doses of radiation and results in significant toxicity. The unfavorable dynamics of antibodies accumulating slowly in the target tissues are overcome with a two-step process.
Compound 1 is a specifically tailored bispecific antibody with a high affinity for the tumor target, while unbound compound 1 is cleared effectively from the bloodstream. Once equilibrium is reached, compound 2 is injected, which consists of the radioactive payload and an antibody binder. Compound 2 rapidly penetrates tissue and binds to the bispecific antibody that has effectively accumulated in the target tissue. This approach results in a high tumor-to-non-tumor ratio and minimizes the exposure of healthy tissue to radiation, limiting toxicity.
DISEASE AREAS
Inflammation (or Immunology)
The prevalence of chronic inflammation is gaining recognition as an uncontrolled “pandemic,” contributing significantly to the ongoing decline in life expectancy. Globally, three out of every five deaths are attributed to some form of chronic inflammatory disease. Chronic inflammatory diseases continue to present significant challenges to clinical management and consequently pose a heavy burden on society due to their increasing incidence and prevalence. Glucocorticoids (GCs) represent the most important and frequently used class of anti-inflammatory drugs in routine clinical practice. The development of novel anti-inflammatory therapies based on monoclonal antibodies has provided progress, and anti-inflammatory biologics are emerging as shining stars in the market. Decades of research into TNF, interleukins, and Janus kinase inhibitors have paved the way for a wave of new product launches. However, even the medications currently in development for chronic inflammatory conditions remain plagued by considerable limitations, including low selectivity, and off-target effects. The challenge of targeting the core mechanisms of inflammatory processes at the diseased site without affecting the essential functions of the immune system elsewhere remained unresolved until recently.
OncoOne is capitalizing on the breakthrough discovery that the pleiotropic cytokine MIF is selectively modified by the oxidative environment at sites of inflammation. Our team of antibody experts is pioneering a highly selective and site-restricted approach to delivering therapeutic activities only to diseased organs. We are convinced targeting oxMIF will open an entirely new field of therapeutic intervention, sparing patients from the severe side effects of conventional therapeutic approaches. OncoOne’’s pipeline with the novel anti-inflammatory drugs will increase the therapeutic options for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, which the medical community eagerly awaits.
Immunology focus areas
We work to help people living with chronic, progressive diseases live full lives without limits from their disease.
This persistent autoimmune and inflammatory condition can lead to pain, stiffness, swelling, and diminished joint function. RA may result in tissue damage, leading to chronic pain, impaired balance, and physical deformities.
Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Asthma, a persistent inflammatory ailment, impacts individuals of all ages, with children being the most affected by this prevalent chronic disease. Inflammation and constriction of the small air passages in the lungs result in asthma symptoms, which may manifest as coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and tightness in the chest.
This enduring inflammatory ailment involves inflammation of any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms range from mild to severe, varying from person to person, and frequently oscillate between active flare-ups and periods of remission. However, they can disrupt one's regular routine.
Alzheimer's disease, the most common dementia form, is a progressive condition marked by inflammation in brain areas governing memory and language. It begins with mild memory loss, potentially progressing to severe communication and interaction impairments, significantly hindering daily activities.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifaceted autoimmune condition impacting the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by ongoing inflammation leading to the loss of neurons and their axons. Symptoms experienced by MS patients can vary greatly, encompassing motor, sensory, and cognitive impairments.
Oncology
Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with approximately 18 million new cancer cases and over 9.5 million related deaths in 2022 (https://gco.iarc.fr/en). By 2030, these figures are expected to increase to over 24 million new cancer cases a year and 13 million deaths.
Although immunotherapy has shown remarkable effectiveness in treating various cancers, not all patients benefit from therapy by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight disease, not all patients benefit from therapy. Another class of immunotherapy, particular radioimmunotherapy has achieved success in treating hematological malignancies, however, its efficacy in solid tumor treatment has seen limited success. In order to overcome these limitations, we believe a more site-restricted activation of the immune system would revolutionize current treatment strategies.
OncoOne is seizing upon a groundbreaking discovery revealing that the pleiotropic cytokine MIF undergoes selective modification in the oxidative environment found at sites of inflammation and cancer. This modified form, known as oxMIF, has emerged as a promising target for oncological applications due to its diverse roles in cancer development and progression. oxMIF actively promotes cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while influencing various cell types within the tumor microenvironment, including tumor cells, immune cells, and endothelial cells.
Our team of antibody experts at OncoOne is leading the way in developing a highly selective and site-restricted approach to delivering therapeutic effects to tumors and metastatic lesions by targeting oxMIF. By focusing on oxMIF, we aim to complement existing strategies and mitigate the side effects that often accompany current therapeutic approaches. The antibodies in OncoOne’s pipeline targeting oxMIF are poised to expand therapeutic and diagnostic options for patients with solid tumors, representing an eagerly anticipated development within the medical community..
therapies.
Oncology focus areas
We work to help people living with progressive diseases live full lives without limits from their disease.
This persistent autoimmune and inflammatory condition can lead to pain, stiffness, swelling, and diminished joint function. RA may result in tissue damage, leading to chronic pain, impaired balance, and physical deformities.
Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Asthma, a persistent inflammatory ailment, impacts individuals of all ages, with children being the most affected by this prevalent chronic disease. Inflammation and constriction of the small air passages in the lungs result in asthma symptoms, which may manifest as coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and tightness in the chest.
This enduring inflammatory ailment involves inflammation of any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms range from mild to severe, varying from person to person, and frequently oscillate between active flare-ups and periods of remission. However, they can disrupt one's regular routine.
Alzheimer's disease, the most common dementia form, is a progressive condition marked by inflammation in brain areas governing memory and language. It begins with mild memory loss, potentially progressing to severe communication and interaction impairments, significantly hindering daily activities.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifaceted autoimmune condition impacting the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by ongoing inflammation leading to the loss of neurons and their axons. Symptoms experienced by MS patients can vary greatly, encompassing motor, sensory, and cognitive impairments.