HX01: Anti-metastasis Antibody

Metastasis is the process by which cancer spreads throughout the body. Cells from a tumor break free and move via the circulation to another location in the body, and seed the growth of another tumor. This metastasis is what generally leads to the death of cancer patients.

For such metastasis to occur, the tumor cells need to degrade the proteins that hold them in place using enzymes called proteases. Humanyx has developed a human antibody that binds to and inhibits  one key protease in this process. This antibody is more potent than most antibody drugs and >1,000 fold more potent than most small molecule protease inhibitor drugs.

Because the role of this protease in the metastasis of other types of cancer has also been documented, a drug targeting this protease could have broad applicability for several types of solid tumors. Because about one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point, such a drug has enormous potential.