July 12, 2021 -- Hummingbird Bioscience and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have entered into a multiyear research collaboration to investigate and develop HMBD-002, Hummingbird's V-domain immunoglobulin (Ig)-containing suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) antagonist antibody.
VISTA is an immune checkpoint protein that suppresses the antitumor immune response, according to Hummingbird and MD Anderson; HMBD-002 is intended to block it.
The two organizations will work together to design clinical and translational research studies to illuminate how the antibody affects the antitumor immune response. Hummingbird Bioscience is developing HMBD-002 for a variety of cancers that show VISTA-related immune system suppression.
Two of the MD Anderson researchers who will participate in the collaboration, Dr. Padmanee Sharma, PhD, and James Allison, PhD, are Hummingbird Bioscience consultants; Sharma holds equity in the firm.
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