Company: IOBT
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-047744
Chunk: 14

Company: IO Biotech, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 14
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 transforming the immune balance within the TME. 

14

The key elements of our T-win platform are: 

•Target selection: We select targets based on well-documented immunosuppressive proteins that are known to be overexpressed in the TME across a wide range of tumors. Our target selection relies on the identification of T cell immunity against these key immune resistance pathways in the TME; 

•Epitope selection: After a target is selected, the ability of the immune system to attack cells overexpressing immunosuppressive molecules is confirmed by examination of intrinsic T cell immunity. The initial epitope selection process involves screening peptide antigens, which are designed using both an in silico algorithm and our know-how for T cell reactivity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from cancer patients across several indications. Upon identification of an immunogenic peptide antigen, the functionality of reactive T cells is then subjected to further testing to evaluate whether activation leads to a favorable pro-inflammatory or anti-tumorigenic phenotype. Every T-win platform product candidate is designed to contain both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes that can be recognized over a wide range of patient population; and 

•Adjuvant: T-win peptide product candidates are administered together with an adjuvant, such as Montanide. This provides protection to and facilitates effective release of our T-win peptide product candidates upon injection. 

T-win Platform Mechanism of Action 

Our product candidates are designed to drive the activation and expansion of T cells reactive to immunosuppressive antigens. Upon trafficking these T cells into the tumor site, effective anti-tumor response is induced by a dual mode of action: 

•Recognition and elimination of tumor cells; and 

•Recognition and elimination of immune-suppressive cells. 

We believe our T-win platform offers a novel approach that targets both tumor cells as well as genetically stable host immune-suppressive cells in order to avoid immune escape. By attracting pro-inflammatory cells against immunosuppression within the TME, T-win product candidates are designed to alter the immunologically unfavorable TME environment into a pro-inflammatory milieu, thereby enhancing effective anti-tumor T cell responses. We believe that our T-win platform is the only existing platform that utilizes the intrinsic ability of cancer patients’ own T cells to target immunosuppression in the TME. 

Administration of our T-win product candidates via subcutaneous injection  selectively activates and expands pre-existing CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses against the T-win product candidate