HCR-488

HCR-488 is an antibody-peptide conjugate (APC) being developed by Helicore Biopharma for the treatment of obesity and cardiometabolic disease. The drug utilizes the company's HCR-188 monoclonal antibody, which acts as a GIP ligand binder, as a backbone carrier conjugated to a biased glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist payload. This dual-mechanism approach is designed to deplete circulating GIP upstream of receptor interaction while simultaneously providing GLP-1 activity. The biased GLP-1R agonism is intended to reduce receptor internalization and desensitization, potentially resulting in improved efficacy and fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to traditional agonists. The antibody engineering and conjugate stability support a long half-life, intended for quarterly or less frequent subcutaneous dosing.