Macrophage drug discovery company Macomics has partnered with pharmaceutical products and services supplier Ono Pharmaceuticals (Ono) to create immuno-oncology antibodies for a newly identified macrophage target in cancer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Macomics will use its ENIGMACTM macrophage drug discovery platform to detect and analyze antibody candidates against the newly discovered target of interest. Ono will have the sole right to acquire global licensing for the candidates to proceed with their development and commercialization. Additionally, Macomics will receive an initial payment, R&D financing, and achievement-based milestone payments, along with royalties tied to global net sales.

The platform merges large quantities of human data sets, personalized cell models, and unique genome editing capabilities for human macrophages to explore new targets and decipher the biology of target-specific diseases. Macrophages (TAMs) are  the most abundant immune cells in various cancers, and regulating TAMs can boost the body's cancer-fighting potential.

UK-based Macomics is an immuno-oncology company with expertise in macrophage biology, developing precision medicines to modulate macrophages for the treatment of cancer. The company is advancing a varied range of treatments, aimed at targeting TAMs specific to each disease to reach the clinical trial stage. The company’s ENIGMACTM macrophage drug discovery platform utilizes its knowledge of macrophage biology to detect and validate new therapeutic targets for macrophages.