Asher Biotherapeutics is at the forefront of developing cis-targeted immunotherapies, which represent a significant advancement in the field of immunotherapy. Their innovative approach selectively activates specific immune cell types, particularly CD8+ T cells, while minimizing the activation of other cell types that can lead to unwanted side effects and reduced efficacy. This is achieved through a mechanism known as cis-targeting, where the therapy engages both an immunomodulatory receptor and a specific target on the same immune cell. The lead product candidate, AB248, is a CD8+ T cell selective interleukin-2 (IL-2) that has demonstrated over 500-fold preference for activating CD8+ T cells compared to other immune cells, thereby enhancing anti-tumor activity while reducing toxicity.

The cis-targeting platform developed by Asher Biotherapeutics allows for the creation of differentiated immunotherapies that can be tailored to various therapeutic indications. By focusing on the selective activation of immune cells that are crucial for effective anti-tumor responses, Asher's therapies aim to overcome the limitations of conventional cytokine therapies, which often induce pleiotropic effects due to their broad action on multiple cell types. The preclinical data supporting AB248 indicates its potential to improve therapeutic outcomes, particularly when used in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, thereby expanding the possibilities for treating solid tumors and enhancing the overall efficacy of immuno-oncology regimens.

United States

Asher Bio is a biotechnology company developing precisely targeted immunotherapies for cancer and other diseases. Our cis-targeting platform aims to enable selective activation of specific immune cell types, addressing the inherent limitations of otherwise pleiotropic immunotherapies that act on multiple cell types. Our approach has the potential to precisely direct different immune mediators against a range of target immune cell-types and create best-in-class immunotherapies in cancer, autoimmune and infectious diseases. Asher Bio is backed by Third Rock Ventures and is located in South San Francisco.

Asher Biotherapeutics

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