On February 25, 2019 Hummingbird Bioscience reported it has been awarded a product development grant totalling $13.1 million from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) (Press release, Hummingbird Bioscience, FEB 25, 2019, View Source [SID1234554020]).
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The grant will support the Phase IA/B clinical trials of the company’s first-in-class anti-VISTA therapeutic antibody for the treatment of VISTA mediated suppression of anti-tumor immunity in solid tumors and lymphomas that are unresponsive to existing therapies. Hummingbird Bioscience is a systems-biology enabled biotech company focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer therapeutics.
The CPRIT review for this grant included an in-depth evaluation of HMBD-002, an antibody that uniquely neutralizes VISTA function, by a panel of scientific, medical, and industry experts. The evaluation included rigorous review of the pre-clinical data, as well as regulatory, research and development, and intellectual property due diligence.
The grant will support the Phase IA/B clinical study and preparatory steps including GMP manufacturing and Investigational New Drug (IND) submission for the HMBD-002 program. The grant will also support the relocation of the company’s U.S. headquarters to Texas. Clinical trials for HMBD-002 are anticipated to begin in 2020. Hummingbird Bioscience was the only successful application of its type for this grant cycle.
The award follows the recent announcement of Nobel Laureate James P. Allison, Ph.D. and Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D. joining Hummingbird’s Scientific Advisory Board.
"We are delighted to be awarded this highly-selective grant from CPRIT and to start building our operations in Texas," said Piers Ingram, Ph.D., CEO of Hummingbird Bioscience. "Our company applies systems biology approaches to generate uniquely differentiated therapeutic antibodies. We are thrilled CPRIT’s panel of experts agrees that developing this anti-VISTA immuno-oncology program has the potential to significantly benefit patients."