HUYA Bioscience acquires rights to immuno-oncology products from Fudan University

USA-based China orientated company HUYA Bioscience International has signed an exclusive license with Fudan University for the ex-China rights to a series of novel immuno-oncology drug candidates discovered by Fudan University researchers.

The agreement includes a panel of novel inhibitors of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) developed for more than 10 years by the research group of Professor Qing Yang of the School of Life Sciences at Fudan University. No financial terms of the collaboration have been disclosed.

The IDO pathway is one of several immune response checkpoints thought to play an important role in suppressing T-cell function, allowing tumors to avoid immune surveillance. HUYA plans to advance the products into clinical testing in parallel with the ongoing development of HBI-8000, HUYA's novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, which has been shown to demonstrate its own immunomodulatory properties.