Pilatus Biosciences Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel metabolic checkpoint immunotherapies for liver and gastrointestinal cancers, today announced the granting of its foundational patent in Europe and Australia, entitled “Methods for Modulating Regulatory T Cells and Inhibiting Tumor Growth.”

Pilatus has an exclusive license on the patent from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, based on work by Dr. Ping-Chih Ho’s laboratory at the Ludwig Lausanne Branch. The patent covers Pilatus’ first-in-class antibody program targeting CD36, a key metabolic checkpoint expressed on regulatory T cells (Tregs) that play a critical role in suppressing anti-tumor immune responses.

This intellectual property milestone provides broad protection for the company’s pioneering work in Treg modulation through metabolic reprogramming, representing a new therapeutic strategy in immuno-oncology.

Tregs are essential for maintaining immune balance but can also enable tumor immune evasion by suppressing effector T cell activity within the tumor microenvironment. CD36, a fatty acid transporter highly expressed on Tregs acts as a metabolic gatekeeper that supports their survival and suppressive function under hypoxic and nutrient-deprived tumor conditions.

Pilatus’ antibody program is designed to disrupt CD36-mediated lipid uptake and signaling in Tregs, thereby reawakening the immune system’s ability to attack tumors without triggering systemic autoimmunity. This approach builds upon discoveries made in the laboratory of Dr. Ping-Chih Ho, Full Member at LICR Lausanne, and forms the scientific foundation for Pilatus’ proprietary pipeline of metabolic checkpoint inhibitors.