Hugo-Nano: The Next Generation of Fully Human VHH Nanobodies

Cyagen’s HUGO-Nano mouse as the fastest route to fully human, developable single-domain antibodies (VHHs) with no post-discovery humanization.
Date
November 19, 2026
Time
16:00 CEST - 10:00 ET
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About This Webinar.

HUGO-Nano™ is Cyagen’s engineered mouse platform that generates fully human, developable single-domain VHH antibodies directly in vivo, with no camelid immunization and no post-discovery humanization. This webinar shows how ~15 kDa fully human VHH nanobodies reach difficult targets, including the blood–brain barrier, with data from 40+ CNS and oncology campaigns (DLL3, ANG2, CD8, TfR1), Tm >60°C developability, and multi-country FTO. Learn how these modular building blocks power bispecifics, ADCs, and CAR-T, and how to engage via discovery, licensing, or co-development.

VHH nanobodies (or single-domain antibodies) are moving from niche validation to large-indication scale, with late-stage clinical readouts and a clear shift toward multivalent and multispecific formats. Yet most VHH nanobody discovery still depends on camelid immunization followed by labor-intensive post-discovery humanization — adding time, cost, and immunogenicity risk. At the same time, conventional ~150 kDa IgGs are simply too large to reach many difficult targets, including crossing the blood–brain barrier for CNS programs.

 

This webinar introduces HUGO-Nano™, Cyagen’s engineered mouse platform that generates fully human, developable single-domainVHH  antibodies directly in vivo — with no camelid immunization and no separate humanization step. By pairing a humanized VHH framework with retained camelid hallmark residues, HUGO-Nano delivers human-like low immunogenicity alongside the solubility, thermostability, and autonomous single-domain behavior that make VHHs useful as modular drug-development building blocks.

 

Drawing on validation across 40+ CNS and oncology discovery campaigns, the session walks through how the platform works — from a humanized VHH-style locus through standard mouse immunization, in vivo affinity maturation, and binder recovery — and presents concrete data. Highlights include anti-DLL3 leads reaching picomolar-to-nanomolar affinity with human/mouse/monkey cross-reactivity and >95% purity; anti-ANG2 binders matching benchmark potency while improving specificity; anti-CD8 nanobodies for in vivo CAR-T; and fully human TfR1 nanobodies engineered for receptor-mediated brain delivery. We also cover developability (Tm generally >60°C, controlled profiles under stress testing) and freedom-to-operate confirmed in China, the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

 

Finally, we show how compact HUGO-Nano building blocks reformat into bispecifics and multispecifics, T-cell engagers, ADCs, in vivo CAR-T, and radioligand/imaging formats — and outline flexible engagement models spanning fee-for-service discovery, asset licensing, and co-development.

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Built Around the
Challenges You Face.

Addressed Challenges
Traditional camelid VHH nanobody discovery requires post-discovery humanization, adding time, cost, and immunogenicity risk.
Conventional ~150 kDa IgGs are too large to reach cryptic targets or cross the blood–brain barrier for CNS programs.
As a new entrant in a crowded VHH nanobody market, HUGO-Nano must prove developability, clean FTO, and clinic-ready sequences.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How HUGO-Nano generates fully human, developable VHHs directly in vivo, with no camelid immunization or humanization step.
How a ~15 kDa single-domain format reaches recessed, hidden targets and crosses the blood–brain barrier for CNS delivery.
What the DLL3, ANG2, CD8, and TfR1 data show on affinity, specificity, and developability, plus flexible engagement models.
Fully human nanobodies

Jenny Shan

Chief Scientific Advisor for Antibody Discovery, Cyagen

Jenny holds an MD and a PhD in Cancer Biology from Columbia University. She has supported numerous internally developed and externally licensed biologics programs from discovery through IND and regulatory approval, including blockbuster therapies Eylea, Dupixent, Carvykti, and Rybrevant. Jenny Currently is Chief Scientific Advisor for Antibody Discovery at Cyagen, where she evaluates innovative technology platforms and preclinical and early clinical biologics assets spanning immunology, oncology, and metabolism.

Meet the Speaker.

Free to attend.
Limited places.

November 19, 2026

16:00 CEST - 10:00 ET

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