Appclon Obtains Chinese Patent for CAR-T Zipper Switch Technology

Abclon announced on the 6th that it has obtained a Chinese patent for its zipper switch technology used in chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy for solid tumors.

The patented zipper switch technology utilizes Abclon's proprietary Affibody. It can be applied not only to CAR-T cell therapies but also to antibody-based therapeutics, allowing for modulation of efficacy (On/Off).

The core technology of Abclon's existing switchable CAR-T (zCAR-T)-based therapy 'AT501' is a switch molecule that combines cotinine and Affibody. The cotinine part of the switch molecule binds to CAR-T cells, while the Affibody binds to solid tumor cells. By adjusting the dosage and timing of the switch molecule administration, the activity of CAR-T cells can be turned on (On) or off (Off).

By expanding on the existing technology, the newly patented method enables binding between Affibodies. This is expected to simplify the production process of the switch molecule and reduce costs. In particular, having obtained patents not only in Korea but also in the United States, Japan, and China, it is anticipated that the global business expansion will accelerate.

An Abclon representative stated, “Affibodies, which are used in bispecific antibody platforms, are much smaller in size compared to antibodies but share the same characteristics, allowing for easy production using our proprietary technology. We aim to develop them as next-generation drugs that are a step ahead of existing antibodies in terms of tissue permeability, high stability, ease of production, and low immunogenicity.”