HCW Biologics’ Founder and CEO Dr. Hing C. Wong Participating in Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Annual PepTalk Conference 2022

MIRAMAR, Fla., Jan. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HCW Biologics Inc. (“HCW Biologics” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HCWB), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel immunotherapies to lengthen health span by disrupting the link between chronic, low-grade inflammation and age-related diseases, today announced that Hing C. Wong, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of HCW Biologics, will speak at the Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s 24^th Annual PepTalk Conference to be held on January 17-19, 2022 (https://www.chi-peptalk.com/protein-expression-production). The conference is taking place virtually and in person at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, California.

Dr. Wong’s presentation entitled, “A Novel Platform to Create Multi-Functional Immunotherapeutics for Cancer,” is part of the session for Recombinant Protein Expression and Production: Effective Expression and Production of Unique Bioproducts and takes place on January 19 at 11:15 a.m. PST. His presentation will feature a discussion of the Company’s internally developed platform for drug discovery called the TOBI™ (Tissue factOr-Based fusIon) platform. The TOBI™ platform is a scaffold for the creation of novel multi-functional immunotherapeutics that have the potential to rejuvenate the immune system by reducing the accumulation of senescent cells and suppressing the activity of inflammasomes. Using the TOBI™ platform, the Company has developed over 30 molecules that are capable of activating and targeting desired immune responses and blocking unwanted immunosuppressive activities.

Dr. Wong stated, “The TOBI™ platform is a novel approach to construct multi-functional fusion proteins and fusion protein complexes, all components are human-derived, using a novel tissue factor (TF) scaffold. The extracellular domain of human TF was selected as it has a rigid elongated structure comprised mainly of ß-sheets with its N- and C-termini located at distal ends of the polypeptide, permitting genetic fusions of other protein domains without anticipated steric interference. This TF domain does not interact with the cell membrane phospholipid bilayer and, as a result, does not exhibit procoagulant activity. It is expressed at high levels by most cell types and is not expected to be immunogenic in humans.”

Dr. Wong added, “Consistent with these properties, we found that genetic fusion to the TF domain promoted increased production of difficult-to-express proteins, such as IL-15. Additionally, the TF fusion proteins could be readily purified by affinity chromatography using an anti-TF antibodies and low pH elution conditions, like those used in Protein A-based affinity purification of therapeutic antibodies.”

Dr. Wong’s presentation will include a discussion of data and conclusions contained in recent papers authored by the Company’s scientists that have been published in peer-reviewed journals. The presentation will highlight information contained in a pivotal paper published in Molecular Therapy related to preclinical data from in vivo studies demonstrating the potential of the Company’s lead investigational candidate, HCW9218, in eliminating therapy-induced senescence and the unwanted side effects of chemotherapy. This ground-breaking finding revealed the underlying mechanism that HCW9218 enhanced the anti-tumor activities and lessened the side effects of chemotherapies. In addition, Dr. Wong’s presentation will include a discussion of another paper published in Molecular Therapy related to preclinical data from in vivo studies demonstrating that HCW9218 exhibited favorable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as a novel immunostimulant with the ability to simultaneously lessen immunosuppression. Finally, the presentation will discuss some of the information in a paper published in Cancer Immunology Research that looked at HCW Biologics’ TOBI™ discovery platform.

About TOBI™
HCW Biologics has combined deep understanding of disease-related immunology with its expertise in advanced protein engineering to develop the TOBI™ discovery platform. TOBI™ is a proprietary immunotherapeutic drug design and discovery platform. HCW has utilized this modular, tunable technology to generate a novel pipeline of immunotherapeutic candidates capable of activating and targeting desired immune responses while blocking unwanted immunosuppressive activities. The balancing of these two activities is believed to be the key to developing immunotherapeutic agents that will be safe, well tolerated and efficacious.

About HCW Biologics:
HCW Biologics is a transformative immunotherapy company that focuses on inflammaging, a state of unresolved inflammatory responses and chronic inflammation. The Company is developing novel immunotherapies designed to improve health span by disrupting the link between chronic, low-grade inflammation and age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases. The Company uses its TOBI™ discovery platform to generate designer, novel multi-functional fusion molecules with immunotherapeutic properties for the treatment of inflammaging. The invention of HCW Biologics’ two lead molecules, HCW9218 and HCW9302, was made via the TOBI™ discovery platform. The FDA has cleared HCW Biologics to initiate a first-in-human Phase 1b clinical trial for HCW9218 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The Company is also advancing IND-enabling studies for HCW9302 for an autoimmune indication.

Forward Looking Statements:
Statements in this press release contain “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “estimate,” “project,” “outlook,” “forecast” or other similar words and include, without limitation, statements regarding immunotherapeutic candidates capable of activating and targeting desired immune responses while blocking unwanted immunosuppressive activities; the balancing of certain activities believed to be the key to developing immunotherapeutic agents that are expected to be safe, well tolerated and efficacious; the Company’s intention to use TOBI™ technology to develop the next generation of cancer immunotherapeutics; development of molecules that are capable of activating and targeting desired immune responses and blocking unwanted immunosuppressive activities; development of immunotherapeutics that have the potential to rejuvenate the immune system by reducing the accumulation of senescent cells and suppressing the activity of inflammasomes; the TF domain of the TOBI platform is expressed at high levels by most cell types and is not expected to be immunogenic in humans; claims regarding TF fusion protein production and purification; potential of HCW9218 in eliminating therapy-induced senescence and the unwanted off-target and side effects of chemotherapy; potential of HCW9218 as a novel immunostimulant with the ability to simultaneously lessen immunosuppression in patients with cancer; and development of immunotherapies designed to improve health by disrupting the link between chronic, low-grade inflammation and age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties that are described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the final prospectus related to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 21, 2021. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Company Contact: Rebecca Byam CFO HCW Biologics Inc. rebeccabyam@hcwbiologics.com

Investor Relations Contact: Lisa Sher Senior Vice President Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. lsher@tiberend.com

Media Relations Contact: Dave Schemelia Senior Vice President Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. dschemelia@tiberend.com