SunRock Biopharma Partners with Chime Biologics to Advance Anti-CCR9 Antibody SRB5 for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Key Insights
SunRock Biopharma (search) and Chime Biologics (search) announced a strategic collaboration to develop SRB5 (search), a novel anti-CCR9 (search) monoclonal antibody targeting inflammatory bowel disease (search).
SRB5 (search) is a humanized monoclonal antibody with enhanced ADCC properties designed to selectively deplete CCR9 (search)+ cells involved in chronic intestinal inflammation.
The partnership will leverage Chime Biologics (search)' global-standard GMP manufacturing platform to scale production and accelerate preclinical and regulatory milestones.
SunRock Biopharma (search), a Spanish biotechnology company, has entered into a strategic collaboration with global contract development and manufacturing organization Chime Biologics (search) to advance development of SRB5 (search), a novel anti-CCR9 (search) monoclonal antibody targeting inflammatory bowel disease (search) (IBD). The partnership aims to accelerate the therapeutic's progression through preclinical development and regulatory milestones while exploring potential expansion into other immune-mediated inflammatory indications.
Novel Mechanism Targets Intestinal Inflammation
SRB5 (search) represents the latest advancement in SunRock's anti-CCR9 (search) platform, featuring a humanized monoclonal antibody design with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) properties. The therapeutic is specifically engineered to selectively deplete CCR9+ cells that play a key role in chronic intestinal inflammation, offering a targeted approach for treating conditions such as Crohn's disease (search) and ulcerative colitis (search).
According to Dr. Laureano Simón, CEO of SunRock Biopharma (search), "SRB5 (search) has a distinctive biological profile that could transform the therapeutic landscape in IBD and potentially in highly aggressive CCR9 (search)-expressing tumors." The selective targeting mechanism represents a significant advance in therapeutic approaches for IBD treatment.
Manufacturing Partnership Accelerates Development
Through the collaboration, SunRock will leverage Chime Biologics (search)' global-standard Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) platform to scale production of SRB5 (search) under optimal conditions. The partnership is designed to accelerate both preclinical development activities and regulatory milestone achievements.
"This partnership reflects our commitment to applying our global-standard quality and comprehensive experiences in manufacturing biologics to accelerate the development of innovative therapies," said Dr. Jimmy Wei, President of Chime Biologics (search). The CDMO's end-to-end capabilities span from preclinical support and cell line development through clinical and commercial manufacturing of both drug substance and drug product.
Broader Therapeutic Potential
Beyond IBD applications, SRB5 (search) shows potential for treating highly aggressive CCR9 (search)-expressing tumors, aligning with SunRock's broader mission in oncology. The company's approach focuses on identifying targets with strong roles in tumor progression or inflammation, then developing fully human or humanized antibodies with enhanced functional profiles for advancement toward early clinical stages.
SunRock's pipeline encompasses monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and other innovative formats, with the company maintaining collaborations across academic institutions and industry partners in Europe, the United States, and Asia. The strategic partnership with Chime Biologics (search) reinforces SunRock's strategy of working with world-class partners across every stage of development.
Clinical Validation Pathway
Dr. Simón characterized the agreement as "a critical step toward clinical validation" for SRB5 (search). The collaboration positions both companies to advance this novel therapeutic approach through the development pipeline, with Chime Biologics (search)' technical expertise and industrial quality standards supporting optimal scaling conditions.
The partnership addresses inflammatory bowel disease (search), a condition that significantly impacts patients worldwide, while maintaining potential for expansion into oncology applications where CCR9 (search) expression plays a role in tumor progression.