genOway: Revolutionizing the Prediction of Antibody Therapies in Humans with Unique Mouse Model

LYON, France, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Antibody therapies are changing the treatment of cancer, inflammatory diseases and infections. However, many promising drug candidates fail in clinical trials. A study in Science Immunology shows that genOway's genO-hFcγR mouse model enables more accurate prediction of therapeutic antibody efficacy and safety.

Why Antibody Therapies Fail in Late-Stage Testing

Antibody therapies work in part by binding to Fcγ receptors, proteins found on immune cells that control key immune functions such as antibody-mediated cell killing and inflammation. Since these receptors are different between species, human therapies tested in standard laboratory mice give unreliable efficacy results or miss potential safety risks. These discrepancies cause expensive late-stage failures and slow patient access to new therapies.

A New Mouse Model with Humanized Fcγ Receptors Set to Become a Gamechanger

A new study published in Science Immunology showed that an innovative mouse model developed by genOway, genO-hFcγR, helps scientists better predict the efficacy and safety of therapeutic antibodies in humans. The model allows scientists to rank different antibody candidates by how they are likely to perform, measure how effectively they target specific immune cells, and evaluate their potential to slow disease progression. This gives researchers key early insights to guide decisions and accelerate drug development.

Video on genO-hFcγR mice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7xO-xGJV8Q

Read the publication: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.ady7328

A Complex Scientific Challenge Achieved Through International Collaboration

Due to the species-specific nature of Fcγ receptors, developing this model demanded multidisciplinary expertise in mouse genetics, antibody biology, and human immunology.

The achievement was made possible through an international consortium of leading biopharmaceutical partners, led by genOway, who combined their knowledge to co-develop and co-validate the genO-hFcγR mouse model. Consortium members included genOway (France), a company specializing in developing highly predictive preclinical models; argenx (Belgium), a pioneer in Fc-engineering and FcRn biology; Innate Pharma (France), a leader in natural killer cell-based immunotherapies; and Vir Biotechnology (USA), focused on the development of immunotherapies; among other members. The group collaborated with VIB-Ghent University (Belgium), a leading immunology institute, to publish the study in Science Immunology. In this study, scientists at VIB-Ghent University mapped Fc receptor expression and regulation to illustrate how the new mouse model could be used to better model human disease and coordinated the publication of the work.

A Unique Solution Available for the Scientific Community

The genO–hFcγR model builds on a previous mouse model developed in 2008 by genOway and its scientific partners, in which multiple FcγR genes were humanized. Since its launch to the scientific community in 2024, genO-hFcγR has been adopted to advance preclinical programs of biopharmaceutical companies and nonprofit organizations, including the Gates Foundation, as one of the foundation's global health research initiatives.

Read the Gates Foundation press release at https://www.genoway.com/news-events/genoway-gates-foundation-2025

About genOway
genOway is a biotechnology company that provides highly predictive preclinical models and solutions to biopharmaceutical companies, CROs and academic institutions to bridge the gap between preclinical findings and clinical success. More information at genoway.com.

Contact
Ana REZA 
Marketing Communications Manager
reza@genoway.com  

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