Leveragen Inc. and Moonlight Bio Forge Strategic Collaboration to Revolutionize T Cell Therapies for Cancer Treatment
Leveragen Inc., a pioneering biotech company based in Boston, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Moonlight Bio, a Seattle-based biotech firm specializing in advanced T cell therapies. This strategic collaboration aims to develop next-generation T cell therapies designed to tackle some of the most challenging and difficult-to-treat cancers. By combining Leveragen’s cutting-edge antibody discovery platform with Moonlight Bio’s expertise in T cell engineering, the partnership seeks to overcome significant barriers in cancer treatment, particularly for solid tumors.
A Synergistic Partnership for Innovation in Immunotherapy
The collaboration leverages Leveragen’s proprietary Singularity Sapiens Mouse platform, a revolutionary tool for generating fully human single-domain antibodies, alongside Moonlight Bio’s advanced T cell engineering capabilities. Together, the companies aim to create T cell therapies with enhanced functionality, persistence, and efficacy, addressing critical unmet needs in oncology.
“At Leveragen, our mission is to drive innovation in the fight against life-threatening diseases,” said Weisheng Chen, Founder and CEO of Leveragen. “By expanding our fully human single-domain antibody technology into transformative T cell therapies, we are aligning with this vision. Partnering with Moonlight Bio allows us to combine our state-of-the-art antibody discovery platform with their cutting-edge cell engineering expertise, paving the way for therapies that could make a meaningful difference for patients.”
Moonlight Bio’s Chief Scientific Officer, Jordan Jarjour, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Our goal is to deliver T cell therapies that break through the barriers preventing successful outcomes in solid tumors, which represent the majority of the global cancer burden. Leveragen’s Singularity Sapiens Mouse platform is a powerful tool for generating fully human single-domain antibodies, which can be optimally translated into advanced T cell therapies. We are thrilled to collaborate with Leveragen as we explore new solutions in this space.”
The Science Behind the Collaboration
Under the terms of the agreement, Leveragen will lead the discovery of fully human single-domain antibodies against specific therapeutic targets, while Moonlight Bio will focus on the preclinical development of T cell therapies. This division of labor capitalizes on each company’s strengths, ensuring a seamless integration of antibody discovery and cell therapy engineering.
Leveragen’s Singularity Sapiens Mouse platform is a game-changer in antibody discovery. It is designed to produce heavy chain-only antibodies from the entire human VH repertoire, precisely integrated into the mouse genome. By eliminating conventional antibody interference and faithfully replicating human immunoglobulin gene expression, the platform optimizes B cell development and generates robust immune responses. This enables the efficient derivation of fully human single-domain antibodies with unparalleled diversity, affinity, and developability.
Moonlight Bio, on the other hand, is focused on developing potency-enhanced T cell therapies that address the limitations of current treatments for solid tumors. Their core technologies are inspired by natural mechanisms and are designed to create therapies that deliver deep and durable responses, which are urgently needed by patients.
Addressing the Challenges of Solid Tumors
Solid tumors have long posed significant challenges in cancer treatment due to their complex biology and resistance to conventional therapies. Traditional T cell therapies, while promising, often struggle to penetrate solid tumors effectively and maintain long-term efficacy. By integrating Leveragen’s antibody discovery platform with Moonlight Bio’s T cell engineering expertise, the collaboration aims to develop therapies that can overcome these obstacles.
The partnership will explore novel approaches in T cell engineering, enhancing the therapeutic potential of engineered immune cells. By targeting specific cancer markers with fully human single-domain antibodies, the therapies being developed could offer new hope for patients with limited treatment options. This approach not only improves the precision of cancer targeting but also enhances the persistence and functionality of T cells, leading to better long-term outcomes.
A Shared Vision for the Future of Cancer Treatment
This collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to advancing cancer treatment through scientific innovation. By combining Leveragen’s breakthrough antibody discovery platform with Moonlight Bio’s expertise in T cell therapy, the partnership aims to pave the way for next-generation therapies that can overcome significant treatment barriers in oncology.
The alliance also reflects a broader industry trend of integrating antibody discovery technologies with cell therapy approaches. By leveraging these powerful tools, Leveragen and Moonlight Bio aim to generate therapies that not only target cancer more precisely but also improve long-term treatment success rates. This innovative approach has the potential to redefine the landscape of cancer treatment, offering new hope to patients with hard-to-treat cancers.
About Leveragen Inc.
Leveragen is a leading genetic engineering company at the forefront of developing next-generation models for antibody discovery and biologics innovation. The company’s flagship platform, the Singularity Sapiens Mouse, is designed to produce heavy chain-only antibodies from the entire human VH repertoire, precisely integrated into the mouse genome. This proprietary platform accelerates the discovery and development of diverse therapeutic modalities, including bispecifics, ADCs, CAR T, and mRNA-based treatments. Headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, Leveragen collaborates with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology leaders to drive next-generation therapeutic development. For more information, visit www.leveragen.com.
About Moonlight Bio
Moonlight Bio, Inc. is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company based in Seattle, WA, dedicated to developing potency-enhanced T cell therapies that provide new hope for cancer patients. The company’s core technologies are inspired by natural mechanisms and are designed to address the disappointing reality that current therapies for solid tumors are often not potent enough to generate deep and durable responses. To learn more, connect with Moonlight Bio on LinkedIn and visit www.moonlightbio.us.
Driving Innovation in Oncology
This partnership represents a crucial step forward in the field of oncology, where innovative technologies and collaborative efforts are essential to overcoming existing limitations in cancer treatment. By joining forces, Leveragen and Moonlight Bio are positioned to drive meaningful advancements in T cell therapy, ultimately striving to improve patient outcomes and redefine the landscape of cancer treatment.
Through this collaboration, the companies aim to develop and refine novel T cell therapies that exhibit enhanced persistence, functionality, and effectiveness. With a shared goal of improving therapeutic outcomes for patients with hard-to-treat cancers, Leveragen and Moonlight Bio are poised to drive innovation and meaningful progress in the field of immunotherapy. This partnership not only highlights the potential of combining antibody discovery with cell therapy but also sets a new standard for collaborative innovation in the fight against cancer.
