What Humane Genomics does

Humane Genomics is a privately held, pre-clinical biotechnology company founded in 2019 and headquartered in New York City. The company engineers synthetic oncolytic RNA viruses, based on a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) chassis, as targeted cancer therapeutics. Its lead candidate, HGI627, targets hepatoblastoma and pediatric liver cancer using a two-factor authentication approach: a retargeted glycoprotein that infects only cancer cells overexpressing GPC3, combined with a CTNNB1-responsive aptazyme ON-switch that restricts viral replication to cancer cells carrying the target protein.

The company's core asset is an Artificial Virus Platform that integrates computer-aided DNA design, DNA synthesis, and a proprietary virus boot-up protocol to enable rapid design-build-test cycles on engineered oncolytic viruses. Supporting technologies include an Aptazyme Platform for RNA-based replication control and Glycoprotein Engineering libraries for retargeting viral tropism. The platform has demonstrated a 73% design-to-validated-DNA success rate, >70% virus boot-up success (improved from <1% in published literature), and turnaround from design to testable virus in under three weeks. Preclinical data show >99.9% tumor reduction with a single intraperitoneal dose in Hep3B xenograft models and tolerability at doses 300x higher than the anticipated clinical starting dose.

The business model targets eventual commercialization of proprietary oncolytic viral therapies through clinical and pharmaceutical distribution channels following regulatory approval, supplemented by potential platform licensing and co-development partnerships. The company is currently advancing HGI627 toward First-in-Human trials in collaboration with Texas Children's Hospital and cGMP manufacturing partner Genezen. Revenue has not been disclosed and the company is pre-revenue, having raised a $4M Series Seed led by Union Square Ventures in February 2025 to fund manufacturing and preclinical activities.

Name

Humane Genomics

Legal name

Humane Genomics Inc.

Website

https://humanegenomics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Humane Genomics is a pre-clinical biotech that engineers synthetic oncolytic RNA viruses (VSV-based) as precision cancer therapeutics, with lead candidate HGI627 targeting pediatric liver cancer via a two-factor authentication platform combining retargeted glycoproteins and aptazyme-controlled replication.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncolytic Virotherapy / Cancer Therapeutics

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology Gene Therapies (incl. oncolytic vectors & gene-modified approaches) (HLAAACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gene Therapy CMC/Process Development Platforms (capsid engineering, producer cell lines, plasmids, upstream/downstream) (HLAAACAN)

Keywords

• Oncolytic viral therapy
• Synthetic virology platform
• RNA virus engineering
• Cancer therapeutics development
• Viral vector design

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Oncolytic Viral Therapy Development and Clinical Commercialization: Humane Genomics is a pre-clinical stage biotech company developing engineered oncolytic RNA viruses (based on VSV) as cancer therapeutics. The primary business model is developing and commercializing novel cancer therapies, with initial focus on pediatric liver cancer (hepatoblastoma, HGI627). Revenue will be derived from therapeutic product sales following regulatory approval.
2. Platform Licensing and Partnership Deals: The company may generate revenue through licensing its synthetic virus engineering platform to other biotech or pharmaceutical companies, and through co-development partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Humane Genomics develops engineered oncolytic RNA viruses as precision cancer therapeutics using a proprietary synthetic virology platform. Its lead candidate HGI627 is a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus engineered with two-factor authentication (GPC3-targeted glycoprotein entry plus a CTNNB1-responsive aptazyme replication ON-switch) for hepatoblastoma and pediatric liver cancer. The platform combines computer-aided virus design, a digital library of validated components, and optimized boot-up protocols to compress design-to-testable-virus timelines to under three weeks.

Product overview

Humane Genomics is a biotech company developing precision-engineered oncolytic viral therapies for cancer treatment. The company's core offering is its Artificial Virus Platform—a synthetic biology platform that enables rapid design, assembly, and testing of oncolytic RNA viruses. The platform incorporates two key technologies: a Glycoprotein Engineering system for selective infection (retargeting viral entry to cancer cells) and an Aptazyme Platform for selective replication (using RNA-based switches to control viral replication based on cancer-specific proteins). Lead product candidate HGI627 targets hepatoblastoma and pediatric liver cancer using a two-factor authentication approach combining GPC3-targeted infection with CTNNB1-responsive replication control. Additional pipeline candidates include HGI536 for proof-of-concept demonstration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HGI627 Lead oncolytic virus candidate of Humane Genomics engineered for hepatoblastoma and pediatric liver cancer. Built on Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) with two-factor authentication: a retargeted glycoprotein for tumor-specific infection targeting GPC3, combined with a CTNNB1-responsive aptazyme replication ON-switch. Demonstrated complete response in Hep3B xenografts with a single systemic dose in preclinical studies and is advancing toward cGMP manufacturing and First-in-Human (FIH) trials.
• HGI536 Prototype oncolytic VSV virus carrying a CTNNB1-responsive aptazyme placed in the untranslated region of an essential VSV gene. Used as proof-of-concept to demonstrate selective replication functionality, showing robust cytotoxicity in CTNNB1-positive cells and no detectable cytotoxicity in CTNNB1 knockout cells.

Quantifiable outcome

• >99.9% tumor reduction with a single IP dose of HGI627 in Hep3B xenograft models, with residual cells confirmed apoptotic
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GenezencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 12 November 2025Manufacturing partnership for process transfer and cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) manufacturing of Humane Genomics' lead oncolytic virus candidate (HGI627) for hepatoblastoma (pediatric liver cancer). Genezen is a leading viral vector CDMO with facilities in Indianapolis and Lexington. The collaboration will produce cGMP-grade batches suitable for toxicology studies and ultimately First-in-Human (FIH) trials, pending regulatory approval. Tech transfer and proof-of-concept runs will be completed over the coming months.
• Alexandria LaunchLabscoreOthers · 3 July 2025Humane Genomics relocated its laboratory from BioLabs@NYU Langone to Alexandria LaunchLabs, a leading life sciences innovation space in New York City. The new location provides expanded lab infrastructure, shared resources, a vivarium for in-house mouse studies, and proximity to an ecosystem of emerging biotech companies and strategic partners.
• Texas Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical research collaboration for hepatoblastoma and pediatric liver cancer therapy development. The partnership involves co-development of HGI627 and planning for clinical trials. Dr. Sanjeev Vasudevan from Texas Children's served as sponsor for AACR abstract submissions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Replimune Group: Clinical-stage oncology company developing a proprietary platform of engineered oncolytic viruses (RP1, RP2, RP3) for solid tumors. Highly comparable in modality (engineered OV), strategy (platform-based), and customer (oncology), though more advanced (public, mid-stage trials) and based on HSV rather than VSV.
• Vyriad: Develops oncolytic virus therapies derived from vesicular stomatitis virus and measles virus, with a similar platform-engineering approach to Humane Genomics. Direct overlap in VSV-based oncolytic modality and solid tumor focus.
• Oncolytics Biotech: Clinical-stage biotech developing pelareorep, a systemically delivered oncolytic reovirus for solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Comparable as a systemically administered engineered OV platform targeting multiple tumor types.
• Genelux Corporation: Develops oncolytic vaccinia virus therapies (e.g., GL-ONC1) for solid tumors. Direct peer in the engineered oncolytic virus space with similar two-pronged strategy of intravenous/systemic delivery and tumor selectivity.
• Istari Oncology: Clinical-stage company developing PVSRIPO, an engineered poliovirus-based oncolytic immunotherapy for solid tumors (notably glioblastoma). Comparable as an engineered, tumor-targeted viral therapy advancing through oncology clinical trials.

Emerging players

• TILT Biotherapeutics: Develops oncolytic adenoviruses engineered to express cytokines for solid tumor treatment. Comparable as a platform-based engineered oncolytic virus company, though focused on adenovirus and cytokine-armoring rather than selective replication.
• Turnstone Biologics: Develops next-generation viral immunotherapies including oncolytic viruses and cancer vaccines. Adjacent peer in the engineered virus-for-cancer modality, with overlap in synthetic virology approaches to oncology.

Broad incumbents

• Amgen (T-VEC / Imlygic): Large biopharmaceutical company with the only FDA-approved oncolytic virus therapy (talimogene laherparepvec / Imlygic for melanoma). Sets the competitive and regulatory benchmark for the engineered OV field in which Humane Genomics operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humane Genomics