Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Announces Late-Breaking Presentation of Dual-Switch CAR-T / TCR Technology at AACR
April 04 2017 - 8:00AM
Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:BLCM), a leader in
developing novel, controllable cellular immunotherapies for cancers
and orphan inherited blood disorders, today announced two
presentations of preclinical results on the Company’s proprietary
dual-switch technology for use in CAR-T and TCR product candidates
at the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual
Meeting in Washington, D.C.
“We’re excited to report compelling preclinical data on the
first dual-switch technology designed to provide control over both
the activity and safety of cell-based therapies,” said Rick Fair,
Chief Executive Officer of Bellicum Pharmaceuticals. “These data in
both CAR-T and TCR constructs support our objective to continue
leading the industry in developing novel, controllable cell
therapies. We look forward to advancing product candidates
incorporating this dual-switch technology into the clinic.”
The Company’s dual molecular switch is designed to increase
efficacy, durability and safety of adoptive cell therapies. T-cell
proliferation is triggered by an inducible MyD88/CD40 (iMC)
costimulatory switch, which when activated by the presence of both
a target antigen and rimiducid, leads to enhanced T-cell activation
and survival. A novel suicide switch, called RapaCIDeTM, is also
engineered into the cell for use in the event of severe toxicities.
RapaCIDe is activated via infusion of rapamycin, triggering
immediate apoptosis of the modified cells. The dual-switch
technology has been incorporated into the Company’s GoCAR-T and
GoTCR platforms.
In a late-breaking poster presentation titled “Dual-switch HER2
CAR-T cells: Small molecule-regulated GO and STOP switches to
target solid cancer in vivo,” Bellicum scientists tested the novel
dual-switch platform in solid tumors by combining both the iMC
costimulatory and RapaCIDe apoptotic signaling switches inside a
first-generation CAR targeting HER2. Results showed that the novel
RapaCIDe switch was as effective as the Company’s CaspaCIDe® switch
at activating apoptosis, while the iMC costimulatory switch
enhanced tumor killing and T-cell proliferation. This study
demonstrated that the Company’s dual-switch GoCAR-T technology
effectively controlled tumor growth, T-cell
proliferation/persistence and elimination in a solid tumor
model.
Additional data were reported in a second presentation on the
Company’s dual-switch technology in a TCR targeting the cancer
antigen PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma). The
TCR was engineered with the rimiducid-driven iMC costimulatory
switch and the RapaCIDe suicide switch. Results reported in a
poster presentation titled “Dual-switch TCR: A two-ligand system to
control PRAME TCR-modified T-cell proliferation and death using
inducible MyD88/CD40 and caspase-9,” showed that T cells transduced
with the dual-switch technology effectively enhanced T-cell
proliferation/persistence in the presence of rimiducid, and
exposure to rapamycin effectively triggered the RapaCIDe switch and
induced apoptosis, eliminating the cells. This is the first
reported prototype of a dual-switch TCR designed to increase
efficacy, durability and safety of adoptive T-cell therapies.
The posters will be available in the Abstracts &
Presentations section of the Bellicum website after the
presentations.
AACR Presentation Details
Late-Breaking
Presentation:
- Abstract Number: LB-184 /
7
- Presentation Title:
“Dual-switch HER2 CAR-T cells: Small molecule-regulated GO and STOP
switches to target solid cancer in vivo”
- Presentation Date: Tuesday,
April 4, 2017
- Presentation Time: 8:00 AM –
12:00 PM ET
- Section: 35
Additional Presentation:
- Abstract Number: 3745 /
1
- Presentation Title:
“Dual-switch TCR: A two-ligand system to control PRAME TCR-modified
T cell proliferation and death using inducible MyD88/CD40 and
caspase-9”
- Presentation Date: Tuesday,
April 4, 2017
- Presentation Time: 8:00 AM –
12:00 PM ET
- Section: 30
About Bellicum
Pharmaceuticals Bellicum is a clinical stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing
cellular immunotherapies for cancers and orphan inherited blood
disorders. Bellicum is using its proprietary Chemical Induction of
Dimerization (CID) technology platform to engineer and control
components of the immune system. Bellicum is developing
next-generation product candidates in some of the most important
areas of cellular immunotherapy, including hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation (HSCT), and CAR-T and TCR cell therapies. More
information can be found at www.bellicum.com.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release
contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Bellicum may, in some instances, use terms such as
“believe,” “may,” “might,” “could,” “will,” “aim,” “estimate,”
“continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “our objective,” “expect,”
“plan,” or the negative of those terms, or other words that convey
uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include
statements concerning, among other things: our research and
development activities relating to our iC9, iMC, RapaCIDe, iRC9 and
CID technologies, and our iC9, iMC, RapaCIDe, iRC9 programs; the
effectiveness of our dual-switch HER2 CAR-T and PRAME TCR programs
and their possible range of application and potential curative
effects and safety in the treatment of diseases, including as
compared to other treatment options and competitive therapies. Our
estimates, projections and other forward-looking statements are
based on our management's current assumptions and expectations of
future events and trends, which affect or may affect our business,
strategy, operations or financial performance. Although we believe
that these estimates, projections and other forward-looking
statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they are subject
to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are made
in light of information currently available to us. Many important
factors, in addition to the factors described in this presentation,
may adversely and materially affect our results as indicated in
forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of
historical fact are forward-looking statements. Estimates,
projections and other forward-looking statements speak only as of
the date they were made, and, except to the extent required by law,
we undertake no obligation to update or review any estimate,
projection or forward-looking statement. These statements are also
subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties that are
described more fully in Bellicum’s filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including without limitation, our annual
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.
Investors:
Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Alan Musso, CFO
832-384-1116
amusso@bellicum.com
Media:
BMC Communications
Brad Miles
646-513-3125
bmiles@bmccommunications.com
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