Beyond Biotech podcast 62 – cytokine-based drugs

As September 8 is Stand Up To Cancer Day, one area of promising research lies in cytokine-based drugs, which have the potential to activate T cells against tumors. Historically, toxicity from systemic cytokine treatment has remained a challenge, prompting several companies to explore ways to “engineer” drugs with modified cytokine molecules like interleukin 2 (IL-2) for targeted and safer delivery.  

Cue Biopharma is a standout in this field, harnessing nature’s ‘cues’ to selectively activate the immune system against cancer. Their approach overcomes IL-2’s narrow therapeutic window by directing IL-2 delivery specifically to cancer cells, targeting only disease-specific T cells.  

Cue Biopharma is a Boston, U.S., based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of injectable biologics to selectively engage and modulate disease-specific T cells directly within the patient’s body. The company’s proprietary platform, Immuno-STAT (Selective Targeting and Alteration of T cells) and biologics are designed to harness the body’s intrinsic immune system as T cell engagers without the need for ex vivo manipulation or broad systemic immune modulation.

Anish Suri, Cue’s chief scientific officer, spoke with us about Cue Biopharma’s platform and its approach in the evolution of immunotherapies.