– SHM-XEL platform generates first-in-class approach to selectively inhibit immune cells involved in inflammatory diseases –

– Therapeutic candidates have demonstrated efficacy in an animal model of human disease –

SAN DIEGO, California — AnaptysBio, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class antibody product candidates focused on unmet medical needs in inflammation and immuno-oncology, today announced the development of a portfolio of novel checkpoint receptor agonist antibodies designed for the treatment of human autoimmune diseases.

Checkpoint receptors are natural inhibitors of immune cells that function to dampen human inflammatory responses. In oncology, antibodies that block checkpoint receptor function, and thereby upregulate immune cell function, have been approved for the treatment of solid tumors. Human checkpoints comprise a family of receptors that includes CTLA-4, PD-1, LAG-3, BTLA and TIGIT.

AnaptysBio believes that immune checkpoint receptors are insufficiently activated in some human inflammatory conditions, and therapeutic modulation with antibodies that augment checkpoint receptor activity has the potential to treat human autoimmune disease. Since checkpoint receptors are expressed by immune cells primarily upon activation, AnaptysBio anticipates that checkpoint receptor agonist antibodies will preferentially suppress disease-causing, auto-reactive immune cells and are therefore less likely to cause broad immunosuppression in patients. Recent studies conducted by AnaptysBio using its therapeutic candidates have demonstrated that checkpoint receptor agonist antibodies are efficacious in a rodent model of graft-versus-host disease.

"Checkpoint receptor agonism has the potential to become the next wave of therapeutic innovation in autoimmune disease therapy," said Hamza Suria, President & CEO of AnaptysBio. "We are pleased to have successfully generated antibodies to multiple checkpoint receptors that potently inhibit immune cell function. Through translational biology, we plan to focus the clinical development of our therapeutic candidates upon certain human autoimmune diseases where checkpoint receptor function is under-represented."

The aforementioned checkpoint receptor agonist antibody portfolio was generated using AnaptysBio's proprietary SHM-XEL antibody discovery platform. AnaptysBio plans to advance the development of checkpoint receptor agonist antibodies as novel therapeutic options for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases.