AbClon Registers Japanese Patent for Switchable CAR-T Receptor Antibody

Cotinine-Specific Antibody and CAR Patents Registered in Japan After South Korea
Switch Molecule Patent Registered in Six Countries
Technology Applied to AT501, a Candidate for HER2-Positive Solid Tumors

AbClon has secured a Japanese patent for receptor technology on the CAR-T cell side of its switchable CAR-T (zCAR-T) platform. Following its patent for a switch molecule that binds to cancer cells, the company has now patented the receptor that recognizes that molecule. Securing rights to a system that can turn CAR-T cells on and off through dosing could support technology licensing negotiations.

AbClon company logo image. AbClon

AbClon announced on October 16 that its patent for “Cotinine-Specific Antibodies and Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs)” had been registered in Japan. The patent was first registered in South Korea. Its companion patent for “HER2 Affibody-Based Switch Molecules” has been registered in six countries—South Korea, the United States, Canada, China, Australia and Japan—and is under review in Europe.

In conventional CAR-T therapies, the cancer-recognition receptor is fixed on T cells, so the cells remain active after a single dose. This makes side effects such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity (ICANS) difficult to control. Another limitation is that the therapy targets only one antigen, so its effectiveness can decline if cancer cells lose that antigen.

zCAR-T uses a switch molecule between CAR-T cells and cancer cells. An affibody on one side of the switch molecule—a protein about 1/25 the size of a conventional antibody—binds to HER2 on cancer cells, while cotinine on the other side binds to CAR-T cells. The newly registered patent covers an antibody sequence that binds specifically to the stereostructure of S-cotinine. Because CAR-T cells stop working when administration of the switch molecule is discontinued, this approach can help manage side effects if they arise.

Another feature is that a single CAR-T cell can be used against different types of cancer by changing only the switch molecule. AbClon is applying the technology to AT501, a drug candidate for HER2-positive solid tumors, including ovarian, gastric and breast cancers. The company is also expanding its development to include multi-target therapies that combine several switch molecules to overcome resistance.

An AbClon official said, “For switchable CAR-T to work, both a switch that targets cancer cells and receptor technology that recognizes the switch are necessary. With patents secured for both components, we will be in a favorable position in technology licensing and co-development negotiations with global pharmaceutical companies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.