YuHeng Bio and YiMiao Shenzhou Collaborate on PD-1 and CAR-T Combination Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Recently, Yuheng Bio announced that it has reached a strategic cooperation with Yimiao Shen Zhou regarding the clinical research and industrialization of immunotherapy combination for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

According to the cooperation agreement, Yuheng Bio and Yimiao Shenzhou will jointly explore the combination therapy model of PD-1 monoclonal antibody product Zimberelimab Injection (Yutuo®) and IM83 CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Immunotherapy), develop and innovate treatment concepts and strategies, and jointly promote the clinical research and industrialization of immunotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The signing of this strategic cooperation is of great significance, which will give full play to the advantages of both parties in their respective professional fields, combine Yuheng Bio's R&D advantages in tumor immunotherapy with Yimiao Shenzhou’s leading technology in CAR-T cell therapy, co-develop a brand-new combined immunotherapy, benefiting more cancer patients, and laying the foundation for the subsequent expansion and development of new indications for Zimberelimab.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer globally, with cases in China accounting for approximately 55% of global cases, making it the third highest cause of cancer-related mortality in China. The large number of patients, high mortality rate, and limited treatment options are the main challenges faced in the prevention and treatment of liver cancer in China. As a PD-1 monoclonal antibody, Zimberelimab Injection can bind to the PD-1 receptor expressed on T cells, blocking its interaction with PD-L1 and PD-L2. By interrupting the immunosuppressive response mediated by the PD-1 pathway, it activates an anti-tumor immune response. CAR-T cell therapy involves genetically modifying a patient’s T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) on their surface; when these CAR-expressing T cells are reinfused into the patient, they can specifically recognize and kill tumor cells. Although these two methods have proven effective in treating various types of tumors individually, monotherapy still shows certain limitations in some tumor types. Therefore, combination therapies involving immunotherapy with other treatments represent the future direction, leveraging synergistic effects to effectively treat tumors and address unmet clinical needs.

Mr. Zhu Jiman, Chairman of Yuheng Biotechnology, stated: "The cooperation with Yimiao Shenzhou is a crucial step for the company to achieve strategic development. As one of the few cell therapy companies in China capable of full-process independent R&D and scaled production, Yimiao Shenzhou has achieved several industry-leading technological breakthroughs in production processes, analytical methods, large-scale preparation, and long-acting technologies. Its independently developed IM83 CAR-T product has been proven to effectively kill liver cancer cells with positive target expression, demonstrating significant and sustained tumor suppression in mouse models with liver cancer. It has also shown good safety in exploratory clinical studies targeting advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. We hope that this collaboration will effectively promote important progress in immunotherapy combination treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, bringing new hope to patients."

Dr. He Ting, CEO of Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Techology Co., Ltd., stated: "During our initial discussions with Guangzhou Yuheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd., we have already observed their strong advantages and technical accumulation in monoclonal antibody drug development. The zimberelimab they developed is the first fully human anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody independently developed in China using the internationally advanced transgenic rat platform (OmniRat®). It has demonstrated extremely high efficacy in relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (r/r cHL) and has also shown notable performance in cervical cancer treatment. Hepatocellular carcinoma has always been highly malignant, with a short average survival period for patients and limited available therapeutic drugs. I believe that through this collaboration, we will hopefully address this challenge and provide better solutions to accelerate the conquest of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma."

Editor: Da Qiao

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