Science & Technology

We are leveraging our proprietary ImmunoTAC technology platform to develop systemically delivered, tissue targeted therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, chronic viral infections and other serious diseases.

ImmunoTAC^® PLATFORM

Our ImmunoTAC platform combines systemic and tissue-targeted delivery, allowing us to transport disease-modifying small molecules directly to the site of a patient’s disease.

Our platform enables us to strategically pair proprietary linker-payloads that modulate key disease-modifying pathways with monoclonal antibodies directed to specific disease sites.

We are pursuing vital pathways

We are pursuing vital pathways to unlock the potential for numerous therapeutic approaches. Our ImmunoTAC platform is taking us there.

Tumor-Localized Myeloid Cell Activation

We are initially applying our ImmunoTAC platform to create a new class of targeted immuno-oncology agents that direct a myeloid cell activator to the microenvironment in solid tumors to promote cancer cell killing.

Silverback_MOA-illustration_edits_R1V4-Recovered

SBT6050, a HER2-Directed TLR8 ImmunoTAC therapeutic, is designed to be a systemically administered myeloid cell agonist with tumor-localized activity.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is permeated with myeloid cell populations, including tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid cell-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs), and conventional dendritic cells (cDCs). When activated or reprogrammed, these cell types orchestrate multiple mechanisms for tumor eradication.

TLR8 is robustly expressed in human myeloid cells prevalent in tumors and not in cell types outside of the myeloid cell lineage, reducing the risk of “off-target” activation. We believe TLR8 is the only innate immune receptor with this profile.

TLR8 activation of myeloid cells produces an anti-tumor innate immune response that includes direct tumor cell killing, recruitment of a diverse array of immune cell subsets, and the reprogramming of immunosuppressive immune cell populations into a productive or pro-inflammatory state.

TLR8 activation of myeloid cells drives a T cell dependent immune response through the enhancement of neoantigen presentation by myeloid cells, recruitment of T cells into the TME, and the production of cytokines that together generate potent, durable anti-tumor immune responses.

SBT6050 drives tumor clearance through an innate immune response, even in the absence of T cells, and activates multiple anti-tumor immune mechanisms.

Solid tumors, including those resistant to T-cell targeted immunotherapies such as PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade, are permeated with myeloid cells. The activation and reprogramming of myeloid cells result in direct tumor killing and recruitment and activation of additional immune cells. For example, activated myeloid cells are able to amplify T-cell and natural killer (NK)-cell responses – bridging a patient’s innate and adaptive immune systems.

Successful activation of myeloid cells can lead to durable anti-tumor immunity, even in tumors that are resistant to immune checkpoint blockade. Our TLR8 agonist payload is leveraged across SBT6050, SBT6290, and SBT8230. We believe TLR8 is the optimal target for activation and reprogramming of various myeloid cell types due to its potent yet restricted expression and function within such myeloid cells.

Publications & Posters

SBT6050

SITC 2020

A Phase 1/1b Study of SBT6050, a HER2-directed Monoclonal Antibody Conjugated to a Toll-like Receptor 8 Agonist, in Subjects With Advanced HER2-expressing Solid Tumors

AACR 2020

SBT6050, a HER2-Directed TLR8 ImmunoTAC™ Therapeutic, is a Potent Human Myeloid Cell Agonist that Provides Opportunity for Single Agent Clinical Activity

ASCO 2020

SBT6050, a HER2-Directed TLR8 Therapeutic, is a Systemically Administered, Tumor-Targeted Human Myeloid Cell Agonist

AACR 2019

A Systemically Administered, Conditionally Active TLR8 Agonist for the Treatment of HER2-Expressing Tumors

SITC 2019

SBT6050, a HER2-Directed TLR8 Agonist Antibody Conjugate, Designed to Overcome Primary Resistance to and Synergize with Checkpoint Inhibition in HER2-Expressing Tumors

SABCS 2019

Preclinical Studies Support the Development of SBT6050, an anti-HER2 Antibody Conjugated to a Potent TLR8 Agonist, for Treatment of Moderate and High HER2-Expressing Tumors that Lack Pre-Existing T Cell Infiltrate

SBT6290

AACR 2021

SBT6290, a Systemically Administered Nectin4-Directed TLR8 ImmunoTAC® Product Candidate, is Designed for Tumor-localized Activation of Myeloid Cells

SITC 2020

SBT6290, a Systemically Administered Nectin4-Directed TLR8 ImmunoTAC Therapeutic, is a Potent Human Myeloid Cell Agonist For the Treatment of Nectin4-Expressing Tumors

SBT8230

AASLD 2020

ASGR1-TLR8, an ASGR1-Directed TLR8 ImmunoTAC Therapeutic, is a Potent Myeloid Cell Agonist with Liver-Localized Activity for the Treatment of Chronic HBV