Genentech’s i-shaped Abs; a bispecific dendritic-T cell engager and more

The Genentech Inc. unit of  Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) reported in Nature Communications i-shaped antibody agonists that more closely recapitulate the biology of natural ligands than traditional Y-shaped antibodies. By adjusting the geometry by which the IgG Fab arms engage target receptors, the scientists were able to create monospecific i-shaped antibody agonists of several tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily members and bispecific agonists of IL-2RB and IL-2RG.

Researchers from  Weizmann Institute of Science and Tel Aviv University published in Cell a bispecific DC-T cell engager (BiCE) that facilitates interaction between PD-1⁺ T cells and CLEC9A⁺ conventional type I dendritic cells. The BiCE enhanced tumor-specific T cell proliferation and remodeled tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte states and frequencies to favor tumor elimination in mouse models of cancer, including ones resistant to traditional anti-PD-1 therapy...