Our Science
Antibody-based T cell engagers
“CDR-Life’s T cell engaging antibodies are potentially transformative in the field of cancer immunotherapies”
Prof. Markus G. Manz, MD, Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology at University Hospital and University of Zurich, Switzerland
Our M-gager® Platform
IMMUNOTHERAPIES
CDR-Life is at the forefront of developing next-generation therapeutics that overcome the limitations of traditional immunotherapies. For cancer, we’re creating T cell engagers against challenging targets with enhanced tumor selectivity and our lead program CDR404 is in Phase 1. For autoimmune diseases, our therapies target specific immune cell populations with the goal to reset the immune system to a healthy state.
Our goal is to enhance therapeutic efficacy while reducing side effects, potentially expanding the reach of these innovative therapies to benefit a wider range of patients – whether they’re fighting cancer or managing devastating autoimmune conditions. By
targeting disease-specific pathways with
unprecedented precision, we’re working to
transform treatment outcomes across
multiple therapeutic areas.
Our M-gager® Platform
Targeted T Cell Engagers
Based on more than 20 years of experience in cutting-edge antibody fragment design, engineering and production, CDR-Life’s integrated end-to-end antibody-based platform drives innovation in both oncology and autoimmune disease. Our platform rapidly delivers optimized therapeutic candidates against challenging targets with attractive drug properties and streamlined manufacturing processes, dramatically accelerating the path from discovery to development. In oncology, we develop novel tumor-targeted T cell engagers (TCEs), addressing challenging targets on hard-to-treat solid tumors that offer enhanced cancer selectivity. For autoimmune conditions, we harness this same precision technology to target specific immune cell populations with the goal of restoring the immune system to a healthy state.
We are advancing a pipeline of potent tumor-selective TCEs and targeted autoimmune therapeutics, aiming to increase therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects across both disease areas. Our candidates are designed with manufacturability in mind, featuring robust stability profiles and established production processes that enable efficient scale-up from research to clinical manufacturing.
CDR-Life’s unique M-gager® platform has the capability to target a broad spectrum of disease-specific antigens. In oncology, this includes challenging surface antigens as well as intracellular antigens displayed on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). For autoimmune conditions, we precisely target disease-driving immune cell populations. Our modular format with unparalleled antigen binding specificity enables selective targeting of diseased cells while sparing healthy tissues. By combining precise targeting with a modular and flexible format, CDR-Life is developing truly selective therapeutics that can leverage immune responses based on disease context. Our unique M-gager® platform can deliver attractive clinical candidates in a matter of months, which provides an excellent basis for R&D collaborations on novel targets.
M-gager® demonstrates excellent drug properties
CDR-Life’s M-gager® platform is our proprietary technology designed to develop highly targeted, antibody-derived T cell engagers. Utilizing a unique phage display library with billions of small antibody fragments, we deliver a modular technology that achieves unparalleled antigen specificity in the T cell engager format, leading to effective and selective T cell recruitment. M-gager® molecules have excellent drug properties and are anticipated to be highly effective immunotherapies for a wide range of promising targets.
How do M-gager® molecules work?
The unique tumor antigen-specific moieties recognize and attach to cancer cells, while the anti-CD3 effector function engages CD3 on T cells. Concurrently, they signal a patient’s T cells to create a powerful cancer-fighting zone. The simultaneous binding of both the tumor antigen and CD3 promotes the formation of a cytolytic synapse between T cells and tumor cells, enabling T cells to release special proteins that can break down cancer cells without harming healthy ones.
As this process happens, the patient’s body creates more T cells specifically trained to recognize these cancer cells. Some of these new T cells become ‘memory cells,’ providing ongoing protection against cancer’s return. This immunological memory forms the basis for durable responses observed in some patients following successful immunotherapy. The activated T cells send out signals to attract even more immune cells to the tumor site. This triggers a coordinated, multi-pronged attack on cancer cells that can lead to more effective and longer-lasting treatment outcomes.
Collectively, M-gager® molecules trigger a cascade of T cell biological effects including (1) T cell activation, (2) polyclonal expansion, (3) memory formation, and (4) peripheral recruitment, which together facilitate the synergistic lysis of tumor cells.
Our Pipeline
Our diversified and growing pipeline of highly targeted T cell engagers addresses solid tumors and autoimmune diseases – two areas of significant unmet medical need.
Based on more than 20 years of experience in cutting-edge antibody fragment design, engineering and production, CDR-Life’s integrated end-to-end antibody-based platform drives innovation in both oncology and autoimmune disease. In oncology, we develop novel tumor-targeted T cell engagers (TCEs), addressing challenging targets on hard-to-treat solid tumors that offer enhanced cancer selectivity. For autoimmune conditions, we target specific immune cell populations with the goal to reset the immune system to a healthy state.
With this pipeline, we aim to increase therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects across both disease areas. Our lead program, CDR404 is in clinical testing.
CDR-Life’s unique M-gager® platform has the capability to target a broad spectrum of disease-specific antigens. In oncology, this includes challenging surface antigens and intracellular antigens displayed on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). For autoimmune conditions, we precisely target disease-driving immune cell populations. Our modular format with unparalleled antigen binding specificity enables selective targeting of diseased cells while sparing healthy tissues. By combining precise targeting with a modular and flexible format, CDR-Life is developing truly selective therapeutics that can either activate or regulate immune responses based on disease context.
CDR404
Urgent need for new therapies in solid tumors
MAGE-A4 is commonly overexpressed in difficult-to-treat solid tumors including non-small cell lung, head and neck, synovial sarcoma, bladder, and gynecological malignancies. Redirecting T cell migration towards MAGE-A4 positive tumors is likely to be an important treatment option for these patients.
What is MAGE-A4?
Melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4) is a protein that has minimal or no presence in healthy tissue but exhibits increased expression in several solid tumors. Tumor cells display MAGE-A4 fragments on their cell membrane via the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) protein.
CDR404 – a novel molecule for cancer treatment
Currently, cancer-specific proteins such as MAGE-A4 can only be targeted by highly complex treatments, like engineered cell therapies, which are individualized and expensive to manufacture and produce. CDR404 is a potent off-the-shelf treatment and is a first-of-its-kind, antibody-based MAGE-A4 T cell engager for MAGE-A4 positive solid tumors.
Phase 1 clinical trial of CDR404 in solid tumors – recruiting
The CDR404-001 trial is evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and initial signs of clinical efficacy of CDR404. This first-in-human study is an open-label, multi-center trial, investigating escalating doses of CDR404 in patients who are positive for HLA-A*02:01 with solid tumors expressing MAGE-A4. Further information can be found at NCT06402201 or contact CDR404-001_Study@CDR-Life.com.
Posters
ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025
First-in-human evaluation of CDR404, a MAGE-A4–targeted T cell engager, in ovarian cancer: pharmacodynamic and clinical activity findings from early dose cohorts
CONTRIBUTORS:
Kristoffer Rohrberg, Matteo Morotti, Giuseppe Curigliano, Rom Leidner, Mark Diamond, Nikolina Vachtsevanou, Christian Leisner, Sarah Holland, Leonardo Borras, Daniel Lenherr-Frey, Melissa Vrohlings, Swethajit Biswas
AACR-NCI-EORTC 2025
Hallmarks of pharmacodynamic activity of CDR404, a new antibody-derived T cell engager
CONTRIBUTORS:
Melissa Vrohlings, Matteo Morotti, Daniel Lenherr – Frey, Nikolina Vachtsevanou, Clare Price, Leonardo Borras, Rouven Bingel – Erlenmeyer, Paul Swiecicki, Coral Olazagasti, Rom Leidner, Mark Diamond, Kristoffer Rohrberg, Sylvie Rottey, Hans Prenen, Jean – Pascal H Machiels, Nuria Kotecki, Alberto Hernando Calvo, Guillermo de Velasco, Guillermo Suay Montagud, Roda Perez Desamparados, Juan Jesús Martin, Matteo Simonelli, Curigliano Giuseppe, Christian Leisner, Swethajit Biswas, Emiliano Calvo Aller
AACR-NCI-EORTC 2025
CDR609: A First-in-Class LGR5-targeted T Cell Engager for Treatment of Colorectal
Cancer and Other Solid Tumors
CONTRIBUTORS:
Athanasia Dasargyri, Sophie Barsin, Fabian Scheifele, Philipp Richle, Nagjie Alijaj, Anna Sobieraj, Romina Doerig, Hannes Merten, Philip Knobel, Martina Priola , Blaz Pavlovic, Marko Keric, David Schurter, Cedric Kiss, Ariadna Vilarrasa, Stephanie Jungmichel, Matteo Morotti, Swethajit Biswas, Christian Leisner, Leonardo Borras
AACR Annual Meeting 2025
A novel T cell engager antibody for the treatment of HLA-A*01/KK-LC-1-positive tumors
CONTRIBUTORS:
Athanasia Dasargyri, Melissa Vrohlings, Stephanie Jungmichel, Blaz Pavlovic, Martina Priola, Zoi Barou, Hannes Merten, Philip Knobel, Luca Scheu, Romina Dörig, Fabian Scheifele, Philipp Richle, Daniel Kuhn, Gonzalo Acuña, Matteo Morotti
AACR Annual Meeting 2025
Durable and potent in vitro T cell activity with repeated exposure to CDR404; a potential best-in-class T cell engager targeting MAGE-A4
CONTRIBUTORS:
Alessio Vantellini, Nora Wettstein, Melissa Vrohlings, Stephanie Jungmichel, André Fonseca, Alice Langer, Anna Howald, Zoi Barou, Daniel Lenherr-Frey, Matteo Morotti, Christian Leisner, Swethajit Biswas, Leonardo Borras
SITC 2024
First-in-human study of CDR404, a novel bivalent and bispecific, antibody-derived, T cell engager in MAGE-A4-positive advanced solid cancers
CONTRIBUTORS:
Spanggaard I, Morotti M, Swiecicki PL, Simonelli M, Rottey S, Suay G, de Velasco G, Martin-Liberal J, Hernando-Calvo A, Roda D, Kotecki N, Vachtsevanou N, Vrohlings M, Price C, Lenherr-Frey D, Leisner C, Borras L, Bingel-Erlenmeyer R, Biswas S, Prenen H, Curigliano G, Machiels JP, Lopes G, Diamond M, Leidner R, Calvo E
ESMO Congress 2024
Highly potent and specific bivalent T cell engager (TCE) targeting PRAME on HLA-A*02:01
CONTRIBUTORS:
Athanasia Dasargyri, Stephanie Jungmichel, Nagjie Alijaj, Anna Sobieraj, Fabian Scheifele, Philip Knobel, Philipp Richle, Hannes Merten, Romina Doerig, Anna-Maria Evangelopoulou, Martina Priola, Blaz Pavlovic, Ariadna Vilarrasa, Thomas Schleier, Laure-Anne Bickel, Gonzalo Acuña, Swethajit Biswas, Tim Fugmann, Christian Leisner, Leonardo Borras
AACR Annual Meeting 2024
Novel antibodies against a KK-LC-1-derived peptide presented on HLA-A*01 on tumor cells
CONTRIBUTORS:
Fabian Scheifele, Stephanie Jungmichel, Nagjie Alijaj, Anna Sobieraj, Thomas Schleier, Alessio Vantellini, Athanasia Dasargyri, Philip Knobel, Philipp Richle, Hannes Merten, Romina Doerig, Melissa Vrohlings, Swethajit Biswas, Tim Fugmann, Rom Leidner and Leonardo Borras
SITC 2023
Overcoming the dose-response prediction limitation from bench to clinic for T-cell engagers: Using Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) modeling in the development of CDR404 for solid tumors
CONTRIBUTORS:
Melissa Vrohlings, Drew Marquis, Scott Gruver, Fei Hua, Stephanie Jungmichel, Nadia Sanchez, Alessio Vantellini, Ivana Tosevski, Leonardo Borras and Swethajit Biswas
SITC 2023
CDR404, an antibody-based bispecific & bivalent T-cell engager targeted against MAGE-A4, for Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (SQ-NSCLC)
CONTRIBUTORS:
Melissa Vrohlings, Stephanie Jungmichel, Ivana Tosevski, Alessio Vantellini, Philip Knobel, Nadia Sanchez, Elizabeth Ross, Marian Van Kerckhoven, Giorgia Giacomazzi, Maria Liivrand, Reija Hieta, Nicholas Dupuis, Dieter Rondas, Pamela Swatkowski, Daniel Lenherr-Frey, Swethajit Biswas, Gilberto Lopes and Leonardo Borras
ESMO Congress 2023
Precise Tumor & Patient Selection for CDR404: A Bispecific & Bivalent MAGE-A4 T-Cell Engager
CONTRIBUTORS:
G. Giacomazzi, M. Liivrand, R. Hieta, N. Dupuis, D. Rondas, P. Swatkowski, M. Vrohlings, D.Lenherr-Frey, L. Borras, S. Biswas, R. Leidner, E. Calvo
AACR Annual Meeting 2022
Enhanced anti-tumor responses with a novel dual pMHC T-cell engager bispecific antibody
CONTRIBUTORS:
Stephanie Jungmichel, Fabian Scheifele, Anna Sobieraj, Severin Wendelspiess, Thomas Schleier, Philip A. Knobel, Camilla Winnewisser, Zoi Barou, Melissa Vrohlings, Philipp Richle, Hannes Merten, Jacqueline Blunschi, Christian Leisner and Leonardo Borras
AACR Annual Meeting 2021
A powerful discovery platform for the generation of high affinity and specificity TCR-like antibodies for immunotherapies in solid tumor
CONTRIBUTORS:
Stephanie Jungmichel, Fabian Scheifele, Anna Sobieraj, Philip A. Knobel, Philipp Richle, Hannes Merten, Thomas Schleier, Melissa Vrohlings, Camilla Winnewisser, Christian Leisner, and Leonardo Borras
ASH 2021
Preclinical assessment of CDR101 – a BCMAxCD3xPD-L1 trispecific antibody with superior anti-tumor efficacy
CONTRIBUTORS:
Melissa Vrohlings, Jan Müller, Stephanie Jungmichel, David Senn, Anna B. Howald, Thomas Schleier, Fabian Scheifele, Severin Wendelspiess, Philipp Richle, Hannes Merten, Daniel
Lenherr-Frey, Christian Leisner, Markus G. Manz, Leonardo J. Borras