Precisely tailored immunotherapies addressing Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) diversity
Fast and Precisely tailored immunotherapies addressing Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) diversity
Immuno-oncology leverages the immune-system to recognize and kill cancer cells. Its vast potential is largely unrealized due to challenges in cancer-specificity, immune-system engagement and genetic compatibility; necessitating innovative next generation solutions.
Myrio has developed the ReDTM platform for the rapid discovery of specific pHLA binders. Our next-generation of pHLA binders are designed specifically for immunotherapies, with exquisite cancer-detection precision and immune-system engagement, catering for a diverse array of HLA-types.
Data compiled from Allele Frequency Net Database – http://www.allelefrequencies.net/default.asp
Science
Exposing cancer using the immune-surveillance system
Cells in the human body are constantly checked for viral signatures, errors and mutations through presentation of peptides by the HLA system. Roughly 90% of potential cancer targets are only present inside cells – effectively hiding them from traditional targeting approaches.
Myrio’s ReDTM system precisely targets pHLA’s identifying cancer-associated mutants which differ from healthy by as little as a single amino acid.
The pHLA presentation system has high diversity amongst humans – varying greatly across geographies and demographies around the world. While diverse HLAs offer populations better resistance to infectious disease, it ‘restricts’ immuno-oncology therapies efficacy to specific HLA variants. A treatment that works for one HLA variant will usually be incompatible with another HLA variant.
The Human Leukocyte Antigen pathway
Exposing cancer using the immune-surveillance system
Cells in the human body are constantly checked for viral signatures and mutations through presentation of peptides to the immune system by the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) pathway. These peptides are derived from all proteins produced by a cell, including those that are secreted or intracellular. Roughly 90% of potential cancer targets are only present inside cells – effectively hiding them from traditional targeting approaches.
The peptide-HLA (pHLA) system is highly diverse, with many variants originating from the intense evolutionary selection placed on this essential component of the immune system, but also reflecting human migration and demographics. This limits therapeutic efficacy of immuno-oncology to specific HLA variants. A treatment that works for one HLA variant could be ineffective or incompatible with another.
Myrio’s proprietary platform is rapid, specific and robust. This enables us to cover more than just a single population-dominant allele (HLA-A*02:01). We consider it our mission – enabling therapeutics for underserved patients and populations and recognising the diversity of HLA genes and alleles representing regional geographies and populations with our oncology programs.
Technology
Retained Display TM (ReD) System – Scalable highthroughput and high-precision pHLA antibody engineering platform.
Myrio’s engine of innovation, the RedTM system generates diverse human antibody panels with single residue pHLA cancer-targeting resolution, engineered with compatibility across major HLA variants, enabling cancer patients across populations potent and effective immuno-oncology therapies.
ReDTM is the only platform that generates cancer-specific antibodies for the all of the major HLA types. Additionally, Myrio has pioneered the ability to ‘break restriction’ – generating antibodies which can target a peptide presented by more than one HLA, and thus increase the addressable patient population.
Technology
Retained DisplayTM (ReDTM) high-precision pHLA antibody development platform
Myrio’s engine of innovation, the ReDTM platform, generates diverse human antibodies with pHLA cancer-targeting single residue precision. The platform works equally well for all major HLA-A alleles, and Myrio has also extended into HLA-B and -C alleles. This enables cancer patients across populations to access potent and effective immuno-oncology therapies.
Uniquely, Myrio has pioneered the ability to ‘break restriction’ – generating antibodies which can target a peptide presented by more than one HLA, thus increasing the addressable patient population.
Myrio’s HLA-targeting human antibody libraries are large (3 x 1011) and are built on highly-robust single-chain scaffolds that are robust for bispecific or CAR-T engineering. They have been used by multiple international collaborators for CAR-T cell therapies, with clinical trial starting in 2025 with Hula Therapeutics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Myrio’s internal pipeline is being developed as bispecific T cell engager antibody therapies.
Pipeline
Myrio’s pipeline spans multiple HLA-A alleles, as well as industry-first HLA-B*07 and -B*35 targeting therapies for PRAME.
Our three lead programs are for a KRAS neoantigen (G12V), PRAME and PSA. All three programs are being developed as bispecific antibodies.
Pipeline
Program Pipeline – Scalable, Flexible and High-Throughput
Our platform rapidly and efficiently produces clinical candidates for cancers with the desired clinical, patient and disease-specific characteristics, and we are accelerating our pace.
ReD: Targeting Intracellular Proteins
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables it to find very rare binders against challenging targets.
Myrio has successfully screened a large number pMHCs derived from multiple cancer targets. These include overexpressed tumor-associated proteins, viral proteins, cancer-testis antigens, oncofetal proteins, shared neoantigens, and private neoantigens.
Cancer will have
no place to hide
Myrio Therapeutics (formerly Affinity BIO) is a privately-owned biotechnology company based in Melbourne, Australia. Founded by biotechnology entrepreneurs Ben Kiefel and Matt Beasley in 2009, Myrio started to build and develop the world’s fastest antibody discovery platform. Myrio’s resulting technology, Retained DisplayTM (ReD), has since been tested in campaigns against some of the most difficult diagnostic and lab reagent targets the team could find.
In late 2016, industry veteran Pete Smith joined Myrio as CEO, and the team set their sights on developing therapeutic antibodies. Recognizing that ReD is best differentiated by its ability to hit difficult targets, Myrio focused on discovering antibodies specific for pMHCs – thereby enabling cells to be targeted on the basis of their expression of particular intracellular and secreted proteins. Initial screens proved highly successful and Myrio has since gone on to successfully identify high affinity and selective antibodies against numerous pMHCs, possibly more than the rest of the world combined.
Myrio is collaborating with some of the world’s leading institutions, working on a diverse range of targets, including endogenous retroviruses and patient-specific neoantigens. These collaborations have demonstrated the utility of Myrio’s human scFv in bispecific and CAR-T formats. Myrio’s strategy is to work with partners to develop therapeutics against specific targets while also establishing spin-outs or joint-ventures to clinically develop specific assets.
CAR-T and Bispecific Antibodies – Utilising pHLA complex for immuno-oncology therapeutics
Antibodies are modular and can be engineered for lots of different formats for lots of different functions. Switchable, flexible, adaptable.
Antibodies are fast, flexible, tunable to the patient’s needs.
Antibodies are highly designed, precisely made molecules that can be personalised to the patient’s specific cancer.
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
CAR-T and Bispecific Antibodies – Utilising pHLA complex for immuno-oncology therapeutics
Myrio Antibodies are engineered to swap and adapt for different formats. Tunable for stability, lifetime, precision and HLA diversity
Science
Exposing cancer using the immune-system’s surveillance system – enabling absolute precision targeting
Cells in the human body are constantly surveying for errors and mutations and presenting this survey to the immune system using the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) system.
Myrio leverages this system to assess and unambiguously flag cancer signatures; effectively reaching inside cells for hidden cancer detection, and programming the immune system to precisely kill cancerous cells.
Exposing cancer using the immune-system’s surveillance system – enabling absolute precision targeting
Cells in the human body are constantly surveying for errors and mutations and presenting this survey to the immune system using the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) system.
Myrio leverages this system to assess and unambiguously flag cancer signatures; effectively reaching inside cells for hidden cancer detection, and programming the immune system to precisely kill cancerous cells.
Technology
We leverage the internal surveillance network that is built-in to everyone’s immune system – the Major Histo Compatibility (MHC) presentation system. Each cell constantly surveys its own internal biochemistry and presents its survey to the immune system for determination of its health.
Our process taps into this sampling – by flagging cancer-specific signals that are present in the survey, we push and reprogram the person’s own immune system to detect and action against cancer cells. The reprogrammed immune system specifically looks for these flagged cancer-specific signals on cells and kills them, leaving healthy cells and tissues alone.
Pipeline
Our engineering platform generates panels of antibodies with the desired clinical, human and disease-specific characteristics – these are our clinical-candidates. Our platform is high-throughput and high-quality which has allowed us to generate a large portfolio of clinical-candidates in an economical and rapid manner. Our current Pipeline of clinical-candidates demonstrate this capability and capacity.
Technology
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables it to find very rare binders against challenging targets.
Pipeline
Myrio has successfully screened a large number pMHCs derived from multiple cancer targets. These include overexpressed tumor-associated proteins, viral proteins, cancer-testis antigens, oncofetal proteins, shared neoantigens, and private neoantigens.
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables it to find very rare binders against challenging targets.Product Pipeline
Myrio has successfully screened a large number pMHCs derived from multiple cancer targets.Our Publications
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Our Publications
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
Retained DisplayTM
Using a completely different, patent-protected process to other antibody discovery platforms, the speed and flexibility of the platform enables …
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Our Team
Graeme Wald – PhD
Chief Executive Officer and Director
- Graeme is an experienced Director, Chairman and CEO with a strong history in the capital markets industry
- Skilled in Financial Risk Management (Chairman of Audit & Risk Committee), Investment Funds and managing Life Science companies
- Listed five companies on the ASX while at Wilson HTM and raised approximately $750M in primary and secondary offerings
- Experience in companies developing analgesics, monoclonal antibodies, wound healing systems, cardiac assist devices, sterilization, disinfection and anaesthesia
Ben Kiefel – PhD
Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer and Director
- After graduating with a PhD in Evolutionary Biology, Ben used his entrepreneurial flare and passion for applied research and management to develop biotech businesses over the last 18 years.
- Has been at Myrio’s heart since its inception – managing its administration, HR, operations, financing and science teams
- Oversees Myrio’s Maturation Team and together with Matt, is co-inventor of ReD and numerous patents on protein display methods and compositions
Matthew Beasley
Co-founder, Chief Science Officer and Director
- Matt has been a molecular biologist for over 20 years and started his first venture in 2005
- Together with Ben, Matt is co-inventor of the ReD technology and many other patents
Lauren Pitt – PhD
Head of Preclinical Development
- Lauren is a leader of teams in Target Identification and Validation and Preclinical Development, with almost 10 years of experience in biotechnology companies based in the US and Australia
- Received a PhD in Immunology from The University of Melbourne
- Completed post-doctoral research at the NYU School of Medicine
Gouri Betigeri
Head of Business Development
- 20 years in business development from discovery through to market approval
- Extensive experience at IQVIA’s global consulting group in London for 9 years followed by 3 years in their APAC CRO in Australia
- Partnership Director in Singapore for an oncology treatment practice
- Science degree from Uni. Melbourne with post-graduate degrees in Lab. Medicine and Health and Medical Law.
Kevin Beasley
Director
Serial entrepreneur with a love for deep thinking, an uncanny perception for great opportunities, and successful in leading a range of different businesses to achieve high-performance outcomes that benefit consumers, staff and owners. Enjoys taking startups from concept to maturity.
Thomas Ulmer – FCPA, GAICD
Director
FCPA, GAICD
Commercially-minded Senior Financial Executive with 15+ years of experience directing all financial matters. Successfully implemented top- and bottom line enhancement measures across small, medium and large size businesses. Global work experience (Europe, USA and Australia) with private and listed companies as well as diverse shareholder structures (VC, PE, family-owned) across various industries (healthcare, digital health, medical devices, technology, life science, FMCG and services). Proven-track record in raising more than USD500M through NASDAQ listing, private financing rounds and various non-dilutive capital measures (partnerships, grants).
Board of Directors
News & Media
About Us
Pioneering Antibody Discovery- Myrio Therapeutics
Myrio Therapeutics, a Melbourne-based biotech company, is at the forefront of antibody generation. Founded in 2009 by Ben Kiefel and Matt Beasley, our team of 25 scientists working in our PC2 laboratories, along with global subject matter experts, push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Our innovative ReD™ platform unlocks a new world of therapeutic targets, including those hidden inside cells. We partner with leading institutions to apply our human scFv fragments in bispecific and CAR-T formats.
Ready to join the fight against challenging diseases?
Myrio seeks partnerships to develop targeted therapeutics and establish spinouts or joint ventures for clinical development. Let’s revolutionise healthcare together.
Contact us at: partnerships@myriotx.com to discuss how we can collaborate.