MIRAMAR, Fla. — August 25, 2025 — Leads & Copy — HCW Biologics Inc. (NASDAQ: HCWB) announced its scientists have developed second-generation, pembrolizumab-based immunotherapeutics against solid tumors using its TRBC platform technology.
The immunotherapeutics are particularly for pancreatic and ovarian cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been hailed as a breakthrough cancer therapy since 2011. ICIs activate T cells’ immune response to re-establish the anti-tumor effects of exhausted T cells.
HCW Biologics’ Founder and CEO, Dr. Hing C. Wong, noted that ICIs only induce an overall response in less than 20% of cancer patients within their FDA-approved indications. He believes the efficacy of ICIs can be improved by neutralizing Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) and activating effector immune cell responses.
HCWB’s TRBC technology enables the construction of pembrolizumab-based fusion molecules that release the tumor immune surveillance blockade of immune cells by cancer cells, neutralize TGF-β, and simultaneously activate immune cells and promote their infiltration into solid tumors. Preclinical studies show the Company’s pembrolizumab-based fusion molecule exhibits potent anti-pancreatic cancer activities and outperforms pembrolizumab as monotherapy for cancer in vitro and in humanized mouse models at well-tolerated dose levels.
Dr. Wong will present the details of IND-enabling studies at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on September 12, 2025.
Dr. Peter Rhode, Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Clinical Operations, HCW Biologics Inc., PeterRhode@HCWBiologics.com
Source: HCW Biologics Inc.
