Nona Biosciences has partnered with biotechnology company Alaya.bio to advance CAR-T cell therapies.

The partnership will combine Nona's HCAb Harbour Mice platform and site-specific conjugation technology with Alaya.bio's polymeric in situ delivery platform to develop CAR-T product candidates for potential clinical applications.

Nona Biosciences chairman Dr Jingsong Wang stated: “We are excited to collaborate with Alaya.bio in advancing CAR-T cell therapy. By combining Nona’s industry-leading technology and expertise with Alaya.bio’s innovative in situ polymeric delivery platform, we look forward to introducing more promising CAR-T therapies to patients worldwide.”

Nona's site-specific conjugation technology maintains the antibody's binding and function, improving the specificity of Alaya.bio's polymeric delivery systems.

The collaboration will unfold in two phases. Initially, Nona will grant Alaya.bio access to antibodies against multiple targets for the latter’s in vivo CAR programme.

Alaya.bio will select binders to be conjugated onto their polymeric nanoparticles using Nona's technology, propelling Alaya.bio's CAR product candidate towards clinical application.

Alaya.bio CEO and co-founder Renaud Vaillant stated: “We are delighted to start this collaboration between Alaya.bio and Nona Biosciences. The quality of the targeting agents that we graft onto our polymeric nanoparticle ensures the efficacy and safety of our technology.

“With Nona Biosciences, we have identified promising new-generation candidates that clearly differentiate from what exists and from what has been used by others.”

In May 2024, AstraZeneca and Nona Biosciences signed a worldwide licence and option agreement for a preclinical monoclonal antibody.

The deal focuses on the development of the antibody to develop targeted tumour therapies. Nona will receive $19m from AstraZeneca upon completion of the deal.