Biopharmaceutical company Innovent Biologics Inc (HKEX:01801) on Wednesday announced a licensing agreement to develop and commercialise an anti-SIRP-alpha antibody (AL008) for the treatment of cancers in China with biotechnology company Alector Inc (Nasdaq:ALEC).

AL008 is Alector's novel antibody targeting the CD47-SIRP-alpha pathway, a potent survival pathway co-opted by tumours to evade the innate immune system. It is a first-in-class SIRP-alpha inhibitor with a dual mechanism of action that non-competitively antagonises the CD47-SIRP-alpha pathway by inducing the internalisation and degradation of the inhibitory receptor on macrophages to relieve immune suppression while also engaging Fc gamma to promote immuno-stimulatory pathways that drive anti-tumour immunity.

Tumour associated macrophages are associated with poor prognosis in many cancer types and are believed to inhibit the anti-tumour immune response.

Under the agreement, Innovent will lead the development and commercialisation of the molecule in China, including the manufacturing of the product. Alector will lead development of AL008 outside of China.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.