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Promising results for Lead Biologics’ first-in-class checkpoint inhibitor published in Nature Cancer
Lead Biologics takes a major step towards a new cancer treatment. A new study shows that the company’s drug candidate effectively inhibits a previously unknown immune escape mechanism and eliminates acute myeloid leukemia cells in advanced experimental models.
– This confirms the great interest in our novel approach to treating cancer, and is an important step towards first-in-human studies, says Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO at Lead Biologics.
– The discovery that is now published in Nature Cancer is based on research from Lund University led by professor Thoas Fioretos who is also one of the founders of Lead Biologics.
The researchers show that tumor cells from a majority of acute myeloid leukemia patients produce the surface protein SLAMF6, which protects the cancer cells from being recognized by tumor-reactive T cells. Furthermore, they show that treatment with the SLAMF6 blocking antibody developed by Lead Biologics inhibits this mechanism and enables the immune system to eliminate the tumor cells in cellular models in vitro and in vivo.
– The publication in Nature Cancer is a testament to the high scientific quality and clinical relevance of our drug development programs, says Carl Sandén, CSO at Lead Biologics and first author of the study.
Checkpoint inhibitors against PD1/PDL1 have revolutionized cancer treatment and are among the highest selling pharmaceuticals globally. But they only work for a subset of patients. The discovery of the SLAMF6 immune escape mechanism opens up a new way to activate the immune system that could benefit many patients who do not respond to the treatments available today.
Lead Biologics aims to develop a first-in-class treatment against SLAMF6. Based on the promising results now presented, clinical trials are expected to start within two to three years.
The publication is publically available here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-025-01054-6
Contact details
Thoas Fioretos, CREATE Health / co-founder of Lead Biologics
thoas [dot] fioretos [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (thoas[dot]fioretos[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO
ankimhager [at] leadbiologics [dot] com (ankimhager[at]leadbiologics[dot]com)
+46 768 28 48 22