Unlocking the power of T cells against oncogenic mutations necessitates the identification of relevant tumor antigens. Recently, KIMMTRAK a bispecific T cell engager against a gp100 peptide has been approved for use to treat HLA-A*02:01 uveal melanoma adult patients. Subsequently, many T cell receptor (TCR)-based companies have emerged to discover relevant TCRs that can engage the cancer cells. However, these necessitate the identification of tumor antigens presented as peptide-MHC-I complexes on cell surfaces.

The surface presentation of peptide-MHC-I complexes can trigger a cytotoxic CD8+ T cell response that may be augmented by CD4+ T cell responses and helper cytokines (e.g. IL-2). However, the identification of MHC-I peptides is still a bottleneck to developing TCR therapeutics.

The EZ MHC-I’s innovative science is working to make a dramatic impact by rediscovering many antigens missed by traditional approaches. The science builds upon my founding scientific foundation and a new discovery engine to identify, characterize and select only the most stabilizing MHC-I peptides to mount an effective anti-tumor immunity. By creating new starting points that discover difficult-to-predict peptide candidates, the technology will empower a full suite of downstream technologies to dramatically identify new TCRs.