Xenetic Biosciences

Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: XBIO) is a biopharmaceutical firm concentrating on the development of immuno-oncology technologies for cancers that are difficult to treat. The company, which was incorporated in 2011, has built its strategy around two primary proprietary technology platforms.

The first, the XCART™ platform, is a personalized Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell technology designed to target patient-specific tumor neoantigens. Acquired in 2019, this technology's initial application is in developing cell-based therapeutics for B-cell lymphomas by targeting the unique B-cell receptor on a patient's malignant tumor cells. The XCART platform works by identifying peptide ligands that bind specifically to the tumor's unique receptors, which are then used to engineer a patient's T-cells to attack their own cancer cells, offering a highly personalized treatment modality. This technology was developed in a collaboration between The Scripps Research Institute and the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry.

The company's second key asset is the PolyXen™ drug delivery platform. This technology uses polysialic acid (PSA), a naturally occurring polymer, to improve the pharmacological properties of biologic drugs. By attaching PSA to a therapeutic protein, its size increases, which prolongs its circulation time and protects it from degradation, thereby enhancing its half-life and stability without compromising its activity. This platform underpins a significant revenue stream for the company through a partnership with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Xenetic receives royalty payments from Takeda related to a sublicensing agreement for the PolyXen technology in the field of blood and bleeding disorders. For the second quarter of 2025, this royalty revenue amounted to $589,897.

Xenetic's business model is centered on advancing its technology platforms through a combination of in-house development and strategic collaborations. The company actively partners with other pharmaceutical companies and research institutions, such as The Scripps Research Institute, CLS Therapeutics, and Volition, to advance its programs. This strategy allows Xenetic to leverage external expertise and capital to develop its assets, such as its DNase-based oncology platform, while managing its research and development expenditures. The company's recent focus includes advancing its systemic DNase program as an adjunctive therapy for pancreatic carcinoma and other solid tumors by targeting Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), which are implicated in cancer progression.

The company is led by an experienced management team, with James F. Parslow serving as the Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Previously, Jeffrey F. Eisenberg, a seasoned life sciences executive with over two decades of experience, served as CEO after joining the company in 2016. The company's operations are based in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Keywords: biopharmaceutical, immuno-oncology, XCART, CAR T-cell therapy, personalized medicine, B-cell lymphoma, tumor neoantigens, PolyXen, drug delivery platform, polysialic acid, Takeda royalty agreement, DNase oncology platform, Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, pancreatic cancer, solid tumors, oncology therapeutics, cell-based therapeutics, XBIO, drug development, biologic drugs