Nektar Therapeutics announced two data presentations from the dose-escalation portion of its ongoing Phase 1 study of NKTR-255 in patients with relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies at ASH Meeting.
Initial clinical results from the Phase 1 study of NKTR-255 in patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies were presented. A pharmacodynamic analysis of CAR-T cell persistence in patients treated in the Phase 1 study who had received prior treatment with CAR-T therapy was also presented.
The data underscore the potential of NKTR-255 and provide clinical evidence of its unique ability to trigger the induction of natural killer and CD8+ T cells and highlight its potential role in rescuing and enhancing CAR-T cell persistence. NKTR-255 can be combined with multiple mechanisms to potentially improve their efficacy. The clinical data presented at ASH support the development of NKTR-255 in combination with anticancer agents that induce antibody dependent cellular toxicity as well as CAR-T therapies.
Neoleukin Therapeutics presented its preclinical data on NL-201 in multiple myeloma at the 63rd ASH Meeting. Additionally, a published abstract in Blood reports on NL-201 antitumor activity in preclinical studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. NL-201 is a de novo agonist of the IL-2 and IL-15 receptors, designed to expand cancer-fighting CD8 T cells andNK cells without a bias toward cells expressing the IL-2 receptor alpha subunit (CD25). NL-201 is currently in a Phase 1 trial against solid tumors.
SOTIO Biotech has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck & Co. to evaluate combination of SOT101, SOTIO’s IL-15superagonist,with Keytruda in patients with selected advanced/refractory solid tumors in Phase 2 AURELIO-04 study.SOT101 in combination with Keytruda has shown promising clinical efficacy across multiple indications in our ongoing phase 1/1b AURELIO-03 study. SOTIO will conduct a Phase 2 open-label, multicenter study of SOT101 in combination with Keytruda to evaluate efficacy and safety in patients with selected advanced or refractory solid tumors.
The study is expected to treat up to 300 patients with a combination of SOT101 and a standard dose of Keytruda. The study will enroll patients in the US and selected European countries across six different indications, including second line non-small cell lung cancer, first and second line cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, first line microsatellite instability-high colorectal cancer, second line hepatocellular carcinoma, first line metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and second line ovarian cancer. Merck will supply Keytruda for the study.
Anaveon has agreed a CHF 110 million Series B financing led by incoming investor Forbion, corner-stoned by founding investor Syncona, also joined by existing investor Novartis Venture Fund, as well as new investors, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Pfizer Ventures and Pontifax. In connection with the Series B financing, Jasper Bos (Forbion), Tim Anderson (Cowen) and Denis Patrick (Pfizer Ventures) will join the Anaveon Board at closing, which is expected before year end.Anaveon is undertaking a Phase 1/2 study to evaluate the safety, dosing and clinical activity of its lead program, ANV419, a powerful and selective IL-2 agonist in patients with solid tumors.
Proceeds from this financing will enable the Company to pursue multiple parallel Phase 2 programs in order to explore the full therapeutic potential of ANV419. In addition, it will allow Anaveon to continue its work in developing follow-on compounds to expand on the success of ANV419 by delivering the IL-2 agonist to tumor fighting cells and thus expand the therapeutic potential into less immunogenic tumors. Additionally, the company is building on its cytokine engineering expertise with preclinical-stage programs harnessing the power of cytokines for therapeutic purposes.
