GlyTR1

GlyTR1 is a first-in-class bispecific immunotherapy that uses a novel "Velcro-like" binding mechanism to target tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs), specifically β1,6GlcNAc-branched N-glycans. The compound combines lectin domains (sugar-binding proteins) with an anti-CD3 antibody fragment to engage and activate T cells. Unlike conventional immunotherapies that target protein markers, GlyTR1 distinguishes cancer from normal tissue based on glycan density differences rather than mere presence, allowing selective binding to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. The therapy addresses two major limitations of current cancer immunotherapies: it can distinguish cancer from normal tissue and overcome tumor-driven immune suppression. GlyTR1 demonstrated potent, selective killing of diverse tumor types in preclinical models with EC50s as low as 50 femtomolar, showing no toxicity in mice with human-like glycan expression. The compound was developed by GlyTR Therapeutics in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine, with approximately $30 million in funding from the National Cancer Institute (including Cancer Moonshot awards), California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and NCI Experimental Therapeutics program. Clinical-grade manufacturing is underway at the NCI Experimental Therapeutics program facilities in Maryland.

Other names

Glycan-Dependent T cell Recruiter 1