Immune-Onc Building Broad Pipeline of Myeloid Checkpoint Inhibitors

Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc. (“Immune-Onc”) is a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel myeloid checkpoint inhibitors for cancer patients. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Immune-Onc has assembled a diverse team with deep expertise in drug development and proven track records of success at leading biotechnology companies.

The company aims to translate unique scientific insights in myeloid cell biology and immune inhibitory receptors to discover and develop first-in-class biotherapeutics that disarm immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Immune-Onc has a promising pipeline with a current focus on targeting the Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor subfamily B (LILRB) of myeloid checkpoints. The company has strategic research collaborations with The University of Texas, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and has invested in proprietary models, assays and tools to interrogate the biology and translate this cutting-edge research into the development of novel therapies.

IO-202 is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody that antagonizes LILRB4 with high binding affinity and specificity. It has broad potential in both blood cancers and solid tumors. In hematologic malignancies, preclinical studies showed that IO-202 converts a “don’t kill me” to a “kill me” signal by activating T cell killing and converts a “don’t find me” to a “find me” signal by inhibiting infiltration of hematologic cancer cells.

IO-202 is being evaluated in a Phase I trial (NCT04372433) in two forms of blood cancer, AML and CMML. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted IO-202 Orphan Drug Designation status for treatment of AML in October 2020.

In addition to IO-202, Immune-Onc’s pipeline includes IO-108, an antibody targeting LILRB2 (also known as ILT4) in the IND-enabling stage of development. Additional preclinical candidates focused on myeloid checkpoints include an anti-LAIR1 antibody and multiple undisclosed programs for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. 

Recently, LLS through its venture philanthropy initiative, the Therapy Acceleration Program® (TAP), participated in a recent Series B fundraising round and is supporting clinical development of IO-202 for patients with AML and CMML.