Omios
Biologics and XDemics Corporation have launched a strategic collaboration to
revolutionize oncolytic virus manufacturing by combining biomarker-guided
selectivity with high-density bioproduction. This partnership aims to
deliver high-potency, affordable cancer therapies by drastically increasing
viral yields and reducing production costs by at least 50 percent.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA,
Calif. – April 20, 2026
–
Omios
Biologics and XDemics Corporation have entered into a multi-year strategic collaboration
to optimize the production of Omios' next-generation oncolytic virus (OV)
therapeutics using XDemics' High-Density Cell Respiration™ (HDCR
™
) bioproduction platform.
The oncolytic virus
field has historically faced two fundamental limitations: a lack of absolute
tumor selectivity and inability to generate sufficient and consistent yields of
potent, high-quality virus. The alliance between Omios and XDemics directly
addresses these limitations. Omios is targeting unmet medical needs in solid
tumors with its best-in-class, biomarker-guided, non-attenuated and
systemically administered, vaccinia-based oncolytic virus platform. Omios
successfully resolved the selectivity challenge by uniquely harnessing cancer-specific
cell death deficiencies to deliver highly targeted intravenous therapies. XDemics’
HDCR™ platform, exclusively licensed from Caltech and City of Hope, was developed
based on first principles of mass transport by XDemics’ co-founders Colin Cook,
CTO (PhD, Caltech), Prof. YC Tai (Caltech faculty) and Prof. Yuman Fong (City
of Hope faculty) to support up to 100-fold higher cell densities over
conventional systems and generate viral, T-cell, and stem cell products with
improved functional activity, quality, and batch consistency, at all scales.
Extensive clinical
research, as well as previous preclinical work by Omios’ founders, demonstrates
that viral load correlates directly with anti-tumor efficacy and the quality of
the antitumor immune response. XDemics’ high-density production platform, combined
with Omios’ safe targeting technology, enables evaluation of elevated OV dose
levels, supporting exploration of dose-response relationships and potential
improvements in therapeutic efficacy.
Furthermore, XDemics’
manufacturing breakthrough drastically reduces the cost of goods. Omios and
XDemics project a reduction in production costs by at least 50 percent, making
these advanced biological therapies more accessible to a broader patient
community.
“The historical limitations
of oncolytic viruses are completely resolved by this partnership,” says Aldo
Pourchet, DVM, PhD, CEO of Omios Biologics. “Omios delivers the first and only
biomarker guided OV therapeutics. XDemics delivers unprecedented manufacturing
scale. Oncolytic viruses are drugs that naturally amplify. We are taking full
advantage of that mechanism to produce highly efficacious and affordable drugs
for every patient. This collaboration is a game changer for the entire field.”
“This agreement marks an important
validation of our platform in viral production with a therapeutic developer” says
Christopher Thanos, PhD, CEO of XDemics. “Omios is exactly the kind of partner
we built XDemics to serve; a focused, science-driven team advancing a
differentiated viral modality that demands a manufacturing platform
purpose-built for the biology. We're excited to work alongside Aldo and his
team, and to help chart a path from process development through to clinical
supply.”
About Omios Biologics
Founded in 2023, Omios is a California-based biotech corporation
developing a novel therapeutic platform built upon patented technologies. The
company utilizes the Omios Discovery Engine (ODE) to map human disease
vulnerabilities against the viral interactome. Omios currently advances three
oncolytic virus programs protected by five patents. These assets represent the
first biomarker-guided, non-attenuated, and systemic platform designed
specifically for cold solid tumors, which represent 82 percent of the market.
About XDemics Corporation
XDemics is a
Caltech spinout developing the High-Density Cell Respiration (HDCR™) platform
to overcome the oxygen delivery and shear stress limitations of conventional
cell culture systems, enabling direct control of pericellular oxygen at any
setpoint and achieving up to 100-fold higher cell densities with improved functional
activity and quality. The company's Expansify™ respiring cultureware (currently
for research use only) and Profusion™ bioreactor products (under development)
utilize HDCR™ to enable predictable, linear scaleup from 96-well plates to large
bioreactors, supporting workflows from early discovery to commercial production
of viral, T cell, and stem cell-based therapies. XDemics holds an exclusive
license to a broad IP portfolio from Caltech and City of Hope. XDemics recently
won the SLAS Ignite Award for best startup for 2026. Development of
XDemics’ platform was
made possible by forward-thinking grants from NIH NCATS (grant 5R42TR002798-03),
the Rothenberg Innovation Initiative, and investments from Caltech and GKCC.
The company is headquartered in the
San Francisco Bay Area.
For inquiries:
Bruno Larida,
Chief Business Officer
Omios
Biologics
bruno@omiosbio.com
Forrest
Roush, VP Business Development
XDemics
Corporation
froush@xdemics.com
