Harbour BioMed (HBM), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in the US and Shanghai-based Viva Biotech Ltd. (Viva Biotech), a world-leading structure-based drug discovery platform have announced a strategic partnership under which both parties will collate their respective expertise in drug discovery and development to promote the incubation of innovative biotech start-ups.

HBM will combine its leading Harbour Mice^® platform H2L2 and its experience in global research and development of innovative molecules, with Viva Biotech’s structure-based early-stage drug discovery services. This partnership will offer innovative biotech start-ups access to next-generation technologies that create synergies to accelerate the path between ideation to the product. The incubated startups will operate thorough scientific research and EFS (equity for service) model.

HBM has made significant progress through strategic collaborations and partnerships with leading academic institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies across the world. The company has successfully built a robust portfolio of early and late-stage assets in immune-oncology and immunology, through organic R&D as well as in-licensing strategic assets that address high unmet medical needs across the world. Its internally discovered next-generation ani-CTLA-4 antibody HBM4003 for solid tumors, based on its HCAb platform is already in phase 1 clinical trials.

Viva Biotech provides world-leading structure-based drug discovery services to its biotechnology and pharmaceutical customers worldwide for their pre-clinical stage innovative drug development. The Group covers the full spectrum of the customers' needs for early-stage drug discovery, including biological target protein expression and structure research, drug screening, lead optimization, and clinical candidate selection.