KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private development stage company based in South San Francisco, California, is developing a proprietary portfolio of patient-targeted, first-in-class monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) designed to significantly improve the lives of seriously ill patients with difficult-to-treat diseases.
Currently, KaloBios is conducting three clinical development programs with a focus on respiratory diseases and cancer. Within each of these programs, KaloBios focuses primarily on patient-targeted drug indications where a prognostic or diagnostic is used to prescreen patients to determine those most likely to benefit from a given treatment.
KB001A is targeted against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mechanically ventilated and cystic fibrosis patients. Phase 2b studies are planned soon to confirm the Phase 1/2 trends. KB003, an anti-GM-CSF mAb, is planned to be evaluated in a Phase 2b study in severe asthma to confirm the Phase 1/2 trends. KB004, an anti-EphA3 mAb, which targets tumor cells, including malignant stem cells, but not normal cells, is being developed initially for hematological malignancies and is in Phase 1. KaloBios plans to partner its programs while retaining rights to orphan indications in the United States. In 2010, KaloBios partnered KB001A to Sanofi Pasteur for the development and commercialization of the drug worldwide, while KaloBios remains responsible for developing KB001A in cystic fibrosis.
KaloBios engineers its antibodies using proprietary technology, including the company’s patented Humaneered™ technology, an antibody engineering approach for the creation of optimized drug candidates. The Humaneered™ antibody is designed to have little or no immunogenicity. KaloBios then adds further features to enhance the antibody’s therapeutic performance.
KaloBios has raised $85 million in four rounds of venture funding since the company’s founding in 2001. Major shareholders include MPM Capital, Sofinnova Ventures, Alloy Ventures, GBS Venture Partners, 5 AM Ventures, Bio 1 Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Genzyme Ventures, Baxter International, Inc., and Development Bank of Japan.