Hopewell Therapeutics, a Boston-based developer of next-generation lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies, has entered into a sublicense agreement with Foxcroft Therapeutics to support the development of innovative cancer vaccines. Under the agreement, Foxcroft receives global sublicensing rights to selected tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticles developed by Hopewell.

The partnership will allow both companies to collaborate on evaluating Hopewell’s targeted LNP platform as a delivery system for Foxcroft’s cancer vaccine technology. Lipid nanoparticles are increasingly used in modern medicine to deliver therapeutic molecules, including vaccines and gene therapies, to specific tissues in the body.

Hopewell Therapeutics is currently advancing its proprietary tissue-targeting lipid nanoparticle platform for multiple clinical applications, including vaccines, gene therapies, immune-oncology treatments and pulmonary therapies. The technology is designed to deliver treatments to key organs and tissues such as the lungs, brain, bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes, kidneys, liver and ovaries.

Preclinical studies have shown that Hopewell’s targeted lipid nanoparticles can deliver therapeutic payloads more efficiently than many currently available LNP systems. The licensing agreement marks the company’s first commercial deal involving its proprietary lipid nanoparticle technology.

The collaboration is also linked to cancer vaccine technology originally developed at Tufts University. In September 2025, Foxcroft secured exclusive global rights to this vaccine platform, which was designed to stimulate immune responses against tumour-derived antigens.

The scientific concept behind the vaccine was detailed earlier in 2025 by Dr Qiaobing Xu, Founder and President of Hopewell Therapeutics, in a research publication describing a tumour lysate–based vaccine delivered through lipid nanoparticles targeting lymph nodes.

Through the new sublicense, Foxcroft will gain access to several of Hopewell’s tissue-targeting LNP candidates to optimise delivery of the vaccine. The company plans to conduct confirmatory testing of vaccine formulations in large mammals, beginning with a canine clinical trial expected to start later in 2026.

Financial terms of the agreement include an upfront non-refundable licensing payment to Hopewell, along with royalties on future product sales, regulatory milestone payments and potential sales-based milestones valued at up to USD 100 million.

Dr Xu said the agreement represents an important milestone for the company as it brings its lipid nanoparticle technology into the rapidly evolving field of cancer vaccines. He added that Hopewell aims to support Foxcroft in advancing the therapy toward human clinical trials.

Foxcroft’s leadership stated that Hopewell’s lipid nanoparticle platform offers a promising delivery solution for a wide range of therapeutic applications and could significantly enhance the effectiveness of its cancer vaccine approach.