hPD-1H.ICA.1

hPD-1H.ICA.1 is an agonistic human monoclonal antibody targeting V-set immunoregulatory receptor (VSIR, also known as VISTA or PD-1H), an inhibitory immune checkpoint receptor expressed on T cells and myeloid cells. Developed by researchers at The Ohio State University, the antibody acts as an immune checkpoint activator (ICA) to restore immune tolerance without causing broad immunosuppression. By binding to and activating VSIR, hPD-1H.ICA.1 suppresses early T-cell activation and, under chronic stimulation, promotes an exhaustion-like program in pathogenic T cells. Preclinical studies in humanized graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and lupus patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models have demonstrated its potential to reduce disease severity, ameliorate renal pathology, and selectively deplete pathogenic T-cell populations, supporting its development for autoimmune diseases.