Latest news with #HummingbirdBioscience
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Cancer biotech firm Hummingbird Bioscience to target inflammatory diseases with precision drugs
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Hummingbird Bioscience recently received an award from the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the UN agency dedicated to innovation and creativity. SINGAPORE – Singapore-headquartered biotech firm Hummingbird Bioscience, known for developing antibodies for cancer, is turning its sights to drugs for immunology and inflammatory diseases, such as lupus and inflammatory bowel disease. It will be adapting antibody-drug conjugates which it developed for cancer treatment to target these diseases. It is now about 12 months to 18 months away from filing regulatory approvals in Asia, Europe and the US to start clinical trials for an undisclosed number of these drugs. These consist of antibodies that have the missile-like ability to seek out specific targets, along with a payload, which is a drug intended to treat a disease. Hummingbird recently received an award from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Wipo), the United Nations agency dedicated to innovation and creativity. At the 2025 Wipo Global Awards held at the organisation's headquarters in Geneva on July 11, it was among 10 small and medium -sized enterprises worldwide that were celebrated for commercialising their intellectual property (IP). 'Hummingbird Bioscience exemplifies how innovative companies can thrive with a well-crafted IP strategy. The company has built a robust IP plan with a strong patents portfolio and a successful licensing-based business model,' said Mr Fu Zhikang, director of IP strategy solutions at Ipos International, a subsidiary of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. The biotech firm is looking to expand its pipeline of products. Its chief scientific officer and co-founder Jerome Boyd-Kirkup told The Straits Times: 'Our mission has been to build the next generation of potentially transformative therapies for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. 'A large part of that is to have a strong IP portfolio which can underpin that development and ensure that the innovations that are done here in Singapore can be translated globally.' The company's focus for the future will be on immunology and inflammation, said Dr Boyd-Kirkup. These diseases are a group of chronic conditions characterised by a dysregulated immune system leading to inflammation and tissue damage. It is generally believed that up to 10 per cent of the world's population is affected by these conditions, though estimates vary. The therapeutics for immunology and inflammatory diseases have seen keen interest from biopharma companies worldwide – the global market size for this area is projected to grow from US$103 billion (S$132.4 billion) in 2024 to US$257 billion by 2032. In the context of immunology and inflammatory diseases, the target for Hummingbird's antibody-drug conjugates may be immune cells that have become overactive or destructive, and a drug is selected to block the harmful response. Dr Boyd-Kirkup said that current treatments for immunology and inflammatory diseases are usually small molecule drugs such as corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. But the drawbacks of these drugs include concerns around side effects from long-term usage, and a short half-life, which means a drug needs to be taken more often as it does not stay long in the body. These two factors limit the efficacy and long-term treatment that is necessary for the treatment of many of such diseases. 'Antibody-drug conjugates offer a promising solution by enabling the targeted delivery of small molecule drugs, including immunosuppressives, directly to immune cells, thereby improving safety profiles and optimising exposure duration,' said Dr Boyd-Kirkup. The company, which has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) in its discovery and development cycle for cancer drugs, will also be doing the same for immunology and inflammatory drugs. Immunology and inflammatory diseases are complex and involve many different cell types. In many cases, the places where the damage is occurring are not linked to the cells or processes happening in the area, said Dr Boyd-Kirkup. AI is being used to understand the biological processes involved in such diseases, he added. 'We have used AI to accelerate identification of key target cells and antigens involved in immunology and inflammatory diseases. The immunology and inflammatory antibody-drug conjugates we are working on are targeting key immune cell types involved in disease,' said Dr Boyd-Kirkup. He added that based on the clinical indications and antibody-drug conjugates that the company is looking into, there is a significant unmet clinical need. 'Clinical trials and commercialisation for therapies generally take around a decade. We are also open to the possibility of accelerating the process to the clinic through partnerships and licensing, which may bring in revenue for the company,' said Dr Boyd-Kirkup. In 2026, the company is also set to release results from its Phase 1B clinical trials for one of its key cancer drugs in development, HMBD-001. It is an antibody that targets the HER3 protein driving tumour growth and resistance against cancer drugs, currently being studied in a number of countries, including Singapore. Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we referred to the company's chief scientific officer and co-founder as Mr Boyd-Kirkup. This is incorrect. His correct form of address is Dr Boyd-Kirkup.
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Singapore-based cancer biotech firm Hummingbird Bioscience to target inflammatory diseases with precision drugs
SINGAPORE: Singapore-headquartered biotech firm Hummingbird Bioscience, known for developing antibodies for cancer, is turning its sights to drugs for immunology and inflammatory diseases, such as lupus and inflammatory bowel disease. It will be adapting antibody-drug conjugates which it developed for cancer treatment to target these diseases. It is now about 12 months to 18 months away from filing regulatory approvals in Asia, Europe and the US to start clinical trials for an undisclosed number of these drugs. These consist of antibodies that have the missile-like ability to seek out specific targets, along with a payload, which is a drug intended to treat a disease. Hummingbird recently received an award from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Wipo), the United Nations agency dedicated to innovation and creativity. At the 2025 Wipo Global Awards held at the organisation's headquarters in Geneva on July 11, it was among 10 small and medium-sized enterprises worldwide that were celebrated for commercialising their intellectual property (IP). 'Hummingbird Bioscience exemplifies how innovative companies can thrive with a well-crafted IP strategy. The company has built a robust IP plan with a strong patents portfolio and a successful licensing-based business model,' said Fu Zhikang, director of IP strategy solutions at Ipos International, a subsidiary of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. The biotech firm is looking to expand its pipeline of products. Its chief scientific officer and co-founder Jerome Boyd-Kirkup told The Straits Times: 'Our mission has been to build the next generation of potentially transformative therapies for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. 'A large part of that is to have a strong IP portfolio which can underpin that development and ensure that the innovations that are done here in Singapore can be translated globally.' The company's focus for the future will be on immunology and inflammation, said Boyd-Kirkup. These diseases are a group of chronic conditions characterised by a dysregulated immune system leading to inflammation and tissue damage. It is generally believed that up to 10 per cent of the world's population is affected by these conditions, though estimates vary. The therapeutics for immunology and inflammatory diseases have seen keen interest from biopharma companies worldwide – the global market size for this area is projected to grow from US$103 billion in 2024 to US$257 billion by 2032. In the context of immunology and inflammatory diseases, the target for Hummingbird's antibody-drug conjugates may be immune cells that have become overactive or destructive, and a drug is selected to block the harmful response. Boyd-Kirkup said that current treatments for immunology and inflammatory diseases are usually small molecule drugs such as corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. But the drawbacks of these drugs include concerns around side effects from long-term usage, and a short half-life, which means a drug needs to be taken more often as it does not stay long in the body. These two factors limit the efficacy and long-term treatment that is necessary for the treatment of many of such diseases. 'Antibody-drug conjugates offer a promising solution by enabling the targetted delivery of small molecule drugs, including immunosuppressives, directly to immune cells, thereby improving safety profiles and optimising exposure duration,' said Boyd-Kirkup. The company, which has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) in its discovery and development cycle for cancer drugs, will also be doing the same for immunology and inflammatory drugs. Immunology and inflammatory diseases are complex and involve many different cell types. In many cases, the places where the damage is occurring are not linked to the cells or processes happening in the area, said Boyd-Kirkup. AI is being used to understand the biological processes involved in such diseases, he added. 'We have used AI to accelerate identification of key target cells and antigens involved in immunology and inflammatory diseases. The immunology and inflammatory antibody-drug conjugates we are working on are targeting key immune cell types involved in disease,' said Boyd-Kirkup. He added that based on the clinical indications and antibody-drug conjugates that the company is looking into, there is a significant unmet clinical need. 'Clinical trials and commercialisation for therapies generally take around a decade. We are also open to the possibility of accelerating the process to the clinic through partnerships and licensing, which may bring in revenue for the company,' said Boyd-Kirkup. In 2026, the company is also set to release results from its Phase 1B clinical trials for one of its key cancer drugs in development, HMBD-001. It is an antibody that targets the HER3 protein driving tumour growth and resistance against cancer drugs, currently being studied in a number of countries, including Singapore. - The Straits Times/ANN
Associated Press
26-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Hummingbird Bioscience Licenses HMBD-002, Phase II-Ready Anti-VISTA Monoclonal Antibody to Percheron Therapeutics
SINGAPORE, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hummingbird Bioscience, a biotherapeutics company discovering and developing transformative medicines for hard-to-treat diseases, today announced that it has granted Percheron Therapeutics Limited (ASX: PER) an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize HMBD-002 in all territories and indications. Under the terms of the agreement, Hummingbird Bioscience will be eligible to receive up to USD 290 million in upfront and milestone payments, plus royalties on net sales. HMBD-002 is a monoclonal antibody therapy targeting VISTA, a novel checkpoint involved in the body's immune response to cancer. HMBD-002 has successfully completed a phase I clinical trial in the United States, under an Investigational New Drug application with the US Food and Drug Administration, which showed the drug to be pharmacologically active and generally safe and well-tolerated. Percheron Therapeutics aims to continue clinical development of HMBD-002 in CY2026. 'Given the potential benefits of VISTA blockade in multiple cancers that have strong evidence of VISTA-mediated immune suppression, HMBD-002 is a scientifically compelling asset for both monotherapy and combination approaches. We are pleased to have Percheron Therapeutics continue the clinical development of HMBD-002,' said Piers Ingram, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hummingbird Bioscience. 'We have confidence in the potential clinical benefit of HMBD-002 and in Percheron's ability to successfully progress HMBD-002 through the clinic.' 'Hummingbird Bioscience lies at the cutting edge of novel drug design, and we are delighted to partner with them to take forward this very promising drug candidate,' said Dr. James Garner, Chief Executive Officer of Percheron Therapeutics. 'We selected HMBD-002 out of more than a hundred individual drug candidates from more than seventy companies, and we very much hope that this exciting program can bring meaningful benefit to patients confronting the enormous challenge of a cancer diagnosis.' About HMBD-002 HMBD-002 is a novel anti-VISTA neutralizing antibody, and the only IgG4 isotype anti-VISTA antibody currently in development. HMBD-002 was engineered to bind to VISTA at a specific site that is predicted to be essential for ligand binding and function, thus inhibiting VISTA and neutralizing its immunosuppressive activity without depleting VISTA-expressing cells that play many important roles in the immune system. About Hummingbird Bioscience Hummingbird Bioscience is a biotherapeutics company working at the interface of artificial intelligence and human innovation to discover and develop transformative medicines for hard-to-treat diseases. Hummingbird Bioscience's computational and systems biology technologies have generated a pipeline of innovative clinical-stage monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates in oncology and autoimmunity. At Hummingbird Bioscience, the commitment to rigorous science, teamwork, and intellectual integrity underpins our passion to accelerate the journey of new drugs from concept to clinic. For more information, please visit and follow Hummingbird Bioscience on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. About Percheron Therapeutics Limited Percheron Therapeutics Limited [ASX: PER | US OTC: PERCF] is a publicly listed biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapies for oncology and rare diseases. The company's lead program is HMBD-002, a monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint regulator, VISTA. HMBD-002 has completed a phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced cancer, which has shown the drug to be generally safe and well-tolerated. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Hummingbird Bioscience Media Contact: Crystal Ho [email protected] [email protected] +65 6979 5580 Hummingbird Bioscience Investor Contact: [email protected]
Business Upturn
26-06-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Hummingbird Bioscience Licenses HMBD-002, Phase II-Ready Anti-VISTA Monoclonal Antibody to Percheron Therapeutics
Percheron Therapeutics obtains exclusive worldwide rights to Hummingbird Bioscience's anti-VISTA mAb for further clinical development Hummingbird Bioscience stands to receive up to USD 290 million in upfront and milestone payments, plus royalties, from Percheron Therapeutics Percheron Therapeutics aims to commence phase II clinical development of HMBD-002 in CY2026 SINGAPORE, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hummingbird Bioscience, a biotherapeutics company discovering and developing transformative medicines for hard-to-treat diseases, today announced that it has granted Percheron Therapeutics Limited (ASX: PER) an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize HMBD-002 in all territories and indications. Under the terms of the agreement, Hummingbird Bioscience will be eligible to receive up to USD 290 million in upfront and milestone payments, plus royalties on net sales. HMBD-002 is a monoclonal antibody therapy targeting VISTA, a novel checkpoint involved in the body's immune response to cancer. HMBD-002 has successfully completed a phase I clinical trial in the United States, under an Investigational New Drug application with the US Food and Drug Administration, which showed the drug to be pharmacologically active and generally safe and well-tolerated. Percheron Therapeutics aims to continue clinical development of HMBD-002 in CY2026. 'Given the potential benefits of VISTA blockade in multiple cancers that have strong evidence of VISTA-mediated immune suppression, HMBD-002 is a scientifically compelling asset for both monotherapy and combination approaches. We are pleased to have Percheron Therapeutics continue the clinical development of HMBD-002,' said Piers Ingram, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hummingbird Bioscience. 'We have confidence in the potential clinical benefit of HMBD-002 and in Percheron's ability to successfully progress HMBD-002 through the clinic.' 'Hummingbird Bioscience lies at the cutting edge of novel drug design, and we are delighted to partner with them to take forward this very promising drug candidate,' said Dr. James Garner, Chief Executive Officer of Percheron Therapeutics. 'We selected HMBD-002 out of more than a hundred individual drug candidates from more than seventy companies, and we very much hope that this exciting program can bring meaningful benefit to patients confronting the enormous challenge of a cancer diagnosis.' About HMBD-002 HMBD-002 is a novel anti-VISTA neutralizing antibody, and the only IgG4 isotype anti-VISTA antibody currently in development. HMBD-002 was engineered to bind to VISTA at a specific site that is predicted to be essential for ligand binding and function, thus inhibiting VISTA and neutralizing its immunosuppressive activity without depleting VISTA-expressing cells that play many important roles in the immune system. About Hummingbird Bioscience Hummingbird Bioscience is a biotherapeutics company working at the interface of artificial intelligence and human innovation to discover and develop transformative medicines for hard-to-treat diseases. Hummingbird Bioscience's computational and systems biology technologies have generated a pipeline of innovative clinical-stage monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates in oncology and autoimmunity. At Hummingbird Bioscience, the commitment to rigorous science, teamwork, and intellectual integrity underpins our passion to accelerate the journey of new drugs from concept to clinic. For more information, please visit and follow Hummingbird Bioscience on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. About Percheron Therapeutics Limited Percheron Therapeutics Limited [ASX: PER | US OTC: PERCF] is a publicly listed biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapies for oncology and rare diseases. The company's lead program is HMBD-002, a monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint regulator, VISTA. HMBD-002 has completed a phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced cancer, which has shown the drug to be generally safe and well-tolerated. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hummingbird Bioscience Licenses HMBD-002, Phase II-Ready Anti-VISTA Monoclonal Antibody to Percheron Therapeutics
Percheron Therapeutics obtains exclusive worldwide rights to Hummingbird Bioscience's anti-VISTA mAb for further clinical development Hummingbird Bioscience stands to receive up to USD 290 million in upfront and milestone payments, plus royalties, from Percheron Therapeutics Percheron Therapeutics aims to commence phase II clinical development of HMBD-002 in CY2026 SINGAPORE, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hummingbird Bioscience, a biotherapeutics company discovering and developing transformative medicines for hard-to-treat diseases, today announced that it has granted Percheron Therapeutics Limited (ASX: PER) an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize HMBD-002 in all territories and indications. Under the terms of the agreement, Hummingbird Bioscience will be eligible to receive up to USD 290 million in upfront and milestone payments, plus royalties on net sales. HMBD-002 is a monoclonal antibody therapy targeting VISTA, a novel checkpoint involved in the body's immune response to cancer. HMBD-002 has successfully completed a phase I clinical trial in the United States, under an Investigational New Drug application with the US Food and Drug Administration, which showed the drug to be pharmacologically active and generally safe and well-tolerated. Percheron Therapeutics aims to continue clinical development of HMBD-002 in CY2026. 'Given the potential benefits of VISTA blockade in multiple cancers that have strong evidence of VISTA-mediated immune suppression, HMBD-002 is a scientifically compelling asset for both monotherapy and combination approaches. We are pleased to have Percheron Therapeutics continue the clinical development of HMBD-002,' said Piers Ingram, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hummingbird Bioscience. 'We have confidence in the potential clinical benefit of HMBD-002 and in Percheron's ability to successfully progress HMBD-002 through the clinic.' 'Hummingbird Bioscience lies at the cutting edge of novel drug design, and we are delighted to partner with them to take forward this very promising drug candidate,' said Dr. James Garner, Chief Executive Officer of Percheron Therapeutics. 'We selected HMBD-002 out of more than a hundred individual drug candidates from more than seventy companies, and we very much hope that this exciting program can bring meaningful benefit to patients confronting the enormous challenge of a cancer diagnosis.' About HMBD-002 HMBD-002 is a novel anti-VISTA neutralizing antibody, and the only IgG4 isotype anti-VISTA antibody currently in development. HMBD-002 was engineered to bind to VISTA at a specific site that is predicted to be essential for ligand binding and function, thus inhibiting VISTA and neutralizing its immunosuppressive activity without depleting VISTA-expressing cells that play many important roles in the immune system. About Hummingbird Bioscience Hummingbird Bioscience is a biotherapeutics company working at the interface of artificial intelligence and human innovation to discover and develop transformative medicines for hard-to-treat diseases. Hummingbird Bioscience's computational and systems biology technologies have generated a pipeline of innovative clinical-stage monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates in oncology and autoimmunity. At Hummingbird Bioscience, the commitment to rigorous science, teamwork, and intellectual integrity underpins our passion to accelerate the journey of new drugs from concept to clinic. For more information, please visit and follow Hummingbird Bioscience on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. About Percheron Therapeutics Limited Percheron Therapeutics Limited [ASX: PER | US OTC: PERCF] is a publicly listed biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapies for oncology and rare diseases. The company's lead program is HMBD-002, a monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint regulator, VISTA. HMBD-002 has completed a phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced cancer, which has shown the drug to be generally safe and well-tolerated. For more information, please contact info@ CONTACT: Hummingbird Bioscience Media Contact: Crystal Ho media@ +65 6979 5580 Hummingbird Bioscience Investor Contact: investors@
