US-based startup Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc. has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with BeiGene Co. to evaluate Immune-Onc’s first-in-class myeloid checkpoint inhibitors, IO-108 and IO-202, in combination with BeiGene’s anti-PD-1 antibody, tislelizumab, as part of its clinical development programmes in China.

Under the terms of the collaboration, Immune-Onc will sponsor and fund the IO-108 and IO-202 clinical trials in China, and BeiGene will provide tislelizumab. Immune-Onc retains global development and commercial rights to IO-108 and IO-202.

IO-202 is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody with high affinity and specificity towards LILRB4 (also known as ILT3). It blocks the interaction of LILRB4 with multiple ligands, including ApoE and Fibronectin, and has broad potential as an immunotherapy in both blood cancers and solid tumors.

On the other hand, IO-108 is a fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody with high affinity and specificity towards LILRB2 (also known as ILT4). It blocks the interaction of LILRB2 with multiple ligands that are involved in cancer-associated immune suppression, including HLA-G, ANGPTLs, SEMA4A and CD1d.