Hopewell Therapeutics Inc, a Boston-based next-generation lipid nanoparticle (LNP) company, announced that it has entered into a sublicense agreement with Foxcroft Therapeutics Inc, the developer of novel cancer vaccines (Foxcroft), granting Foxcroft a global sublicense to certain of its tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles. Hopewell and Foxcroft will collaborate on their evaluation of Hopewell’s tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles as potential delivery vehicles for Foxcroft’s cancer vaccines.
Hopewell Therapeutics is currently developing tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle for a broad range of clinical and therapeutic applications, including vaccines, gene therapies, immune-oncology, and pulmonary therapies, targeting tissues in the lung, brain, bone marrow, ovaries, spleen, lymph nodes, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs. Pre-clinical testing has demonstrated Hopewell tissue-targeting LNPs to perform more effectively than other lipid nanoparticles available in the market.
Transaction is Hopewell Therapeutics’ first commercial license of proprietary lipid nanoparticles. Hopewell’s lipid nanoparticles are the preferred delivery solution for the cancer vaccine technology that Foxcroft licensed from Tufts University in 2025.
Foxcroft will conduct its first large mammal (canine) trial in mid-2026, using Hopewell’s lipid nanoparticles.
In February 2025, Dr. Qiaobing Xu, Founder and President of Hopewell, authored a paper entitled “Antitumour vaccination via the targeted proteolysis of antigens isolated from tumour lysates,” which described a novel tumour lysate-based cancer vaccine, delivered through lipid nanoparticles that target the lymph nodes.
In September 2025, Foxcroft obtained from Tufts University the exclusive global license to this cancer vaccine technology. The present Hopewell sublicense gives Foxcroft access to multiple tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles as candidate delivery vehicles for its vaccine. Foxcroft plans to conduct confirmatory testing of vaccine formulations in large mammal trials, starting with a canine clinical trial expected to commence later this year.
The Hopewell Therapeutics sublicense includes a significant, non-refundable, up-front license fee to Hopewell, royalties on net sales, regulatory milestone payments, and up to $100 million of sales-based milestone payments.
“Hopewell Therapeutics is thrilled to announce the first sublicense of its tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles technology in the exciting field of cancer vaccines,” commented Dr. Xu. “We look forward to supporting Foxcroft to bring this important anti-cancer therapy to human testing as quickly as possible.”
Foxcroft’s management stated, “We recognize that Hopewell’s lipid nanoparticle library provides superior targeted delivery solutions for a number of clinical and therapeutic applications, including our vaccine. Over the months ahead, we are excited to work further with the Hopewell team to further evaluate the sublicensed lipid nanoparticles.”
Hopewell Therapeutics discovering, synthesizing, and developing the next generation of tissue-targeting LNPs to bring genomic medicines to patients. Hopewell is pursuing opportunities to redefine the non-viral delivery space for novel genomic medicines by designing systemically administered lipid nanoparticles to specifically target extrahepatic tissues and cells throughout the body. Hopewell has built a robust intellectual property portfolio with an expansive library of ionizable lipids and has established partnerships with several industry leading companies. Hopewell is developing its own internal pipeline while concurrently exploring the potential of its tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles platform for patients with unmet needs in oncology, infectious diseases, rare genetic diseases, and neurological disorders.
Foxcroft is a vaccine technology company focusing on immune-oncology based vaccines. Founded in 2025 by investors from the USA and Thailand, Foxcroft is actively investing to assemble strategic intellectual property necessary to develop state-of-the-art therapies and serve unmet medical needs. |