Hanmi Pharm Bispecific Antibody Immuno-Oncology Drug 'BH3120' Begins Human Clinical Trials

The first human clinical trial of BH3120, a next-generation immuno-oncology drug applying Hanmi Pharmaceutical's bispecific antibody platform technology 'Pentambody,' has begun.

Hanmi Pharm Headquarters Exterior [Photo by Hanmi Pharm]

Hanmi Pharmaceutical announced on the 19th that the first patient enrollment and dosing for the global Phase 1 clinical trial of BH3120 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors were completed at a domestic university hospital on the 13th. The Phase 1 clinical trial of BH3120 is planned to be conducted simultaneously in Korea and the United States.

BH3120, jointly developed by Hanmi Pharmaceutical and Beijing Hanmi Pharmaceutical, is an anticancer drug applying the bispecific antibody platform technology Pentambody, where a single antibody simultaneously binds to two different targets. It targets programmed cell death protein (PD)-(L)1 and 4-1BB simultaneously. Cancer cells bind to T cell PD-1 through PD-L1 to prevent T cells in our body from attacking them. PD-(L)1 class immuno-oncology drugs first bind to T cells to block their binding to cancer cells, allowing T cells to normally attack cancer cells. BH3120 is developed as a bispecific antibody targeting 4-1BB as well, minimizing unnecessary immune activation against normal cells to enhance safety.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical explained that besides BH3120 monotherapy, they are confirming the anticancer synergy effect of combination with PD-(L)1 inhibitors and considering strategic combination therapies with other anticancer drugs based on excellent safety.

A Hanmi Pharmaceutical official said, “The BH3120 clinical trial holds special significance as Hanmi’s first project conducting global clinical research using the independent bispecific antibody platform technology Pentambody in the field of immuno-oncology, which is changing the paradigm of cancer treatment. We will further devote ourselves to research to overcome the limitations of existing treatments and complete the development of next-generation immuno-oncology drugs that dramatically improve therapeutic effects.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.