HiFiBiO Therapeutics and Leading Academic Institutions Demonstrate Breakthrough Single-Cell Approach for Novel Biomarker Discovery to Combat Cancer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & PARIS & SHANGHAI & HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HiFiBiO Therapeutics, a pioneer in innovative biotherapeutics with a unique single-cell analytics platform for extensive immune profiling, today announced results from a breakthrough translational study in collaboration with scientists at world-leading academic institutions. A manuscript, “High-Throughput Single-Cell ChIP-seq Identifies Heterogeneity of Chromatin States in Breast Cancer,” was released online ahead of publication in Nature Genetics.

In this study, scientists from HiFiBiO Therapeutics, ESPCI Paris and the Institut Curie applied HiFiBiO Therapeutics’ proprietary single-cell CelliGO™ platform and unique Drug Intelligent Science (DIS™) capabilities to probe why certain disease cells are resistant to available therapeutics. The team demonstrated a novel high-throughput single-cell ChIP-seq (scChIP-seq) approach that overcomes the current limitations of chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) technologies to better understand the role chromatin heterogeneity plays in cellular differentiation and development. The team used the scChIP-seq approach to discover new biomarkers for triple negative breast cancer, which led to several patent applications.

“This publication is a major milestone for HiFiBiO Therapeutics and another example of how we are applying our proprietary single-cell technology platform to develop new solutions that can address unmet medical needs and transform patient care,” said Liang Schweizer, PhD, CEO and President of HiFiBiO Therapeutics. “The new HiFiBiO scChIP-seq approach enables us and our collaborators to target more precise patient subsets and generate higher and longer lasting responses to the innovative therapeutics under development.”

The new scChIP-seq approach profiles chromatin landscapes of thousands of cells in tumors and other complex biological systems with high accuracy at single-cell resolution. Using patient-derived xenograft models of acquired resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapy for triple negative breast cancer patients, the team identified a subset of cells within the untreated drug-sensitive tumors that share a common chromatin signature with resistant cells, undetectable by using bulk approaches. This signature has the potential to lead to the discovery of new drug targets and biomarkers for patient stratification.

“We are committed to partnering with leading academic institutions, as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We strongly believe that our proprietary CelliGO platform and unique DIS capabilities can accelerate the development of high-quality antibody drugs and enable novel biomarker discovery for better patient stratification and clinical success,” said Annabelle Gérard, PhD, Senior author of the publication and Head of External Innovation at HiFiBiO Therapeutics. “Together with scientists at ESPCI Paris and the Institut Curie, we have demonstrated a new approach that enables the scientific community to decipher novel biology, understand mechanisms of action, develop more effective therapeutics, and design targeted clinical trials for patients with cancer and other complex diseases.”

To read the full manuscript, please visit https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-019-0424-9.

About HiFiBiO Therapeutics

HiFiBiO Therapeutics is an emerging multinational biotherapeutics company mobilizing the human immune system to combat disease. The company integrates deep-rooted biological expertise with its comprehensive single-cell profiling technologies to discover and accelerate a pipeline of antibody drugs to treat cancer and autoimmune disorders. In addition, HiFiBiO Therapeutics aspires to address unmet medical needs around the world through open-innovation partnerships with industry and academia. The company features a strong global footprint with cutting-edge laboratories on three continents in Cambridge, Mass., Paris, France, and Shanghai, China. For more information, please visit www.hifibio.com.

HiFiBiO Therapeutics, the HiFiBiO Therapeutics logo, CelliGO, and DIS are trademarks of HiFiBiO Therapeutics, Inc. All other brands may be trademarks of their respective holders.

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