On February 13, 2023 Hillstream BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: HILS) ("Hillstream" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company developing therapeutic candidates targeting drug resistant and devastating cancers using ferroptosis, an emerging new anti-cancer mechanism resulting in iron mediated cell death, and immuno-oncology targeted novel biologics, reported signing an exclusive option agreement with Applied Biomedical Science Institute (ABSI) to license technology for HER2 and HER3 Conformational Domain Bridging Epitopes in human monoclonal antibodies to develop proprietary multi-format biologics (bi- and tri-specific antibodies, ADCs (antibody drug conjugates), CAR-T and CAR-NKs, in Quatramers and Quatrabodies) against drug resistant cancers including HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer (Press release, Hillstream Biosciences, FEB 13, 2023, View Source [SID1234628150]).
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The ErbB family of cell surface proteins are some of the most well-known and validated oncology drug targets including ErbB2 or HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor) and Erb3 or HER3. The family of antibodies and biologics against HER2 starting with HERCEPTIN (trastuzumab) approved in 1998 for breast cancer, one of the first few anti-cancer antibodies, as well as PERJETA, KADCYLA and PHESGO totaled $8.4 billion in 2022 sales for Roche/Genentech. Antibodies against HER2 and HER3 bind to different domains of the extracellular portion of the proteins or epitopes with trastuzumab binding domain IV of HER2 primarily. HER2 is also one of the most utilized targeting antigens for antibody drug conjugates to treat HER2 positive cancers with two approved antibodies, Roche/Genentech’s PERJETA and Daiichi Sankyo/AstraZeneca’s ENHERTU.
The Applied Biomedical Science Institute has developed technology to target unique functional epitopes of the cancer targets HER2 and HER3. Monoclonal antibodies being developed at ABSI are unique from the currently approved anti-HER2 antibodies. ABSI has granted under an exclusive option agreement to Hillstream, certain of its proprietary technology which if converted to an exclusive license agreement, will allow Hillstream to develop HER2 and HER3 antibodies, including multi-specific and Quatramer- based therapeutics incorporating portions of the antibodies.
"We look forward to this unique opportunity to work with Dr. Smider and the Applied Biomedical Science Institute," said Randy Milby, CEO of Hillstream. "This agreement allows Hillstream to build our antibody platform to advance our immune-oncology biologic pipeline with HER2 and HER3 agents targeting highly aggressive drug resistant metastatic tumors, representing a major unmet need for patients."