On March 5, 2026 Hopewell Therapeutics, Inc., a Boston-based next-generation lipid nanoparticle (LNP) company ("Hopewell"), reported that it entered into a sublicense agreement with Foxcroft Therapeutics, Inc., the developer of novel cancer vaccines ("Foxcroft"), granting Foxcroft a global sublicense to certain of its tissue-targeting LNPs (ttLNPs). Hopewell and Foxcroft will collaborate on their evaluation of Hopewell’s ttLNPs as potential delivery vehicles for Foxcroft’s cancer vaccines.
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Hopewell is currently developing ttLNPs as a delivery vehicle for a broad range of clinical and therapeutic applications, including vaccines, gene therapies, immune-oncology, and pulmonary therapies, targeting tissues in the lung, brain, bone marrow, ovaries, spleen, lymph nodes, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs. Pre-clinical testing has demonstrated Hopewell ttLNPs to perform more effectively than other LNPs available in the market.
In February 2025, Dr. Qiaobing Xu, Founder and President of Hopewell, authored a paper entitled "Antitumour vaccination via the targeted proteolysis of antigens isolated from tumour lysates," which described a novel tumor lysate-based cancer vaccine, delivered through LNPs that target the lymph nodes.1
In September 2025, Foxcroft obtained from Tufts University the exclusive global license to this cancer vaccine technology. The present Hopewell sublicense gives Foxcroft access to multiple ttLNPs as candidate delivery vehicles for its vaccine. Foxcroft plans to conduct confirmatory testing of vaccine formulations in large mammal trials, starting with a canine clinical trial expected to commence later this year.
The Hopewell sublicense includes a significant, non-refundable, up-front license fee to Hopewell, royalties on net sales, regulatory milestone payments, and up to $100 million of sales-based milestone payments.
"Hopewell is thrilled to announce the first sublicense of its ttLNP technology in the exciting field of cancer vaccines," commented Dr. Xu. "We look forward to supporting Foxcroft to bring this important anti-cancer therapy to human testing as quickly as possible."
Foxcroft’s management stated, "We recognize that Hopewell’s LNP library provides superior targeted delivery solutions for a number of clinical and therapeutic applications, including our vaccine. Over the months ahead, we are excited to work further with the Hopewell team to further evaluate the sublicensed LNPs."
(Press release, Hopewell Therapeutics, MAR 5, 2026, View Source [SID1234663318])