New data show HOOKIPA’s arenaviral immunotherapies induce potent T cell responses in novel combinations and against tumor self-antigens
April 13 2022 - 11:01AM
HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, ‘HOOKIPA’), a company developing
a new class of immunotherapeutics based on its proprietary
arenavirus platform, today announced positive preclinical data
demonstrating potent T cell responses, potential novel combination
use beyond PD-1 inhibitors, and the ability to break immune
tolerance to various self-antigens for targeting cancers. The
results highlight the potential of HOOKIPA’s novel arenaviral
platform in difficult-to-treat cancers and as a backbone of
potential combination therapies requiring robust T cell responses
for cancer patients. The data were shared as poster presentations
at the 2022 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting
(AACR).
“Our HB-200 clinical program biomarker data have
confirmed our preclinical findings in head and neck cancers, so
we’re encouraged by the preclinical findings presented at AACR as
further evidence of the potential of our novel arenaviral platform
in various cancers, either alone or together with other modalities,
including as a potential backbone for combination therapy,” said
Joern Aldag, Chief Executive Officer at HOOKIPA. “Specifically, the
ability of our technology to target tumor self-antigens and induce
a potent T cell response that leads to tumor regression is
important as we prepare to file an IND for our HB-300 program in
prostate cancer in the third quarter. In addition, the combination
data with 4-1BB or adoptive T cell transfer highlight several new
strategies for our platform to amplify T cell responses and address
unmet needs in cancer.”
All of the AACR abstract poster presentations
are accessible in the Investor section of the HOOKIPA website under
“Events.”
Potential of arenaviral immunotherapy in
combination with other modalitiesPreclinical data presented at AACR
(abstract #4198) show that the combination of co-stimulatory 4-1BB
agonists with arenaviral immunotherapy increased tumor control and
resulted in a higher cure rate than arenaviral immunotherapy alone.
Co-stimulatory agents, like 4-1BB agonists, are known as
accelerators of cancer immunotherapy, because they help induce
potent, tumor-specific T-cells that can infiltrate and kill tumors.
The combination of an arenaviral immunotherapy with a 4-1BB
agonistic antibody resulted in complete tumor rejection in 30
percent of mice following treatment. Importantly, improved tumor
control and cure rates of up to 50 percent were also observed with
a 4-1BB ligand which was integrated into the arenaviral vector.
A separate preclinical analysis presented at
AACR (abstract #3298) offered additional evidence of potential
combination with other modalities. In this analysis, replicating
arenaviral immunotherapy was sequentially combined with adoptively
transferred TCR transgenic T cells, which resulted in tumor cures
in all mice receiving combination therapy, with 100 percent
survival at the end of the experiment (60 days after
administration).
These data highlight the potential of arenaviral
immunotherapies in combination with other treatment modalities
beyond PD-1 inhibitors, as well as showcase the versatility of the
platform as a potential backbone for various combination
immunotherapies.
Arenaviral immunotherapy activates against
self-antigensAdditional preclinical data (abstract #3298 and
abstract #4198) showed antitumor activity with a single
administration of replicating arenaviral immunotherapy targeting
tumor self-antigens. Specifically, the arenaviral immunotherapy was
able to overcome immune tolerance, induce potent T cell responses
against two different tumor self-antigens and reduce tumor growth
in these cancers. Notably, targeting tumor self-antigens can be a
challenge because the immune system does not recognize these
molecules as foreign.
These preclinical data provide further support
for the clinical entry of HOOKIPA’s HB-300 candidate for treatment
of prostate cancer. The AACR data demonstrate the ability of
HOOKIPA’s arenaviral immunotherapeutic technology to induce potent
T-cell responses against tissue-specific self-antigens, which is
the same type of tumor self-antigens targeted by HB-300. The
company intends to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND)
application in the third quarter of 2022.
HOOKIPA’s Phase 1/2 study (NCT04180215) of
HB-200 for patients with Human Papillomavirus 16-positive (HPV16+)
squamous cell head and neck cancers (HNSCC) is ongoing. Biomarker
data from this study (abstract #3284) showed an unprecedented
induction of tumor antigen specific CD8+ T cell responses of up to
40 percent of total CD8+ T cells. As dosing of HB-200 continued,
more T cells became polyfunctional (able to produce multiple
cytokines), which indicates the T cells are high quality and not
exhausted. A clinical update on Phase 1 HB-200 monotherapy data is
anticipated mid-year; preliminary data on HB-200 in combination
with pembrolizumab as 1st-line and 2nd-line treatment for HNSCC is
anticipated in the second half of 2022.
About HOOKIPAHOOKIPA Pharma
Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
focused on developing novel immunotherapies, based on its
proprietary arenavirus platform, that are designed to mobilize and
amplify targeted T cells and thereby fight or prevent serious
disease. HOOKIPA’s replicating and non-replicating technologies are
engineered to induce robust and durable antigen-specific CD8+ T
cell responses and pathogen-neutralizing antibodies. HOOKIPA’s
pipeline includes wholly-owned investigational arenaviral
immunotherapeutics targeting HPV16+ cancers, prostate cancer,
KRAS-mutated cancers (including colorectal, pancreatic and lung),
and other undisclosed programs. In addition, HOOKIPA aims to
develop functional cures of HBV and HIV in collaboration with
Gilead.
Find out more about HOOKIPA online
at www.hookipapharma.com.
Forward Looking StatementsThis press release
contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but
not limited to, statements regarding the completion of the proposed
offering and the use of proceeds from the proposed offering. The
use of words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expect,”
“plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,”
“future,” “potential,” or “continue,” and other similar expressions
are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All such
forward-looking statements are based on management's current
expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such
forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include,
without limitation, uncertainties related to market conditions and
the completion of the Offering on favorable terms or at all and
those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled "Risk
Factors" in HOOKIPA’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2021, as well as discussions of potential
risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in HOOKIPA’s
subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including in connection with the Offering. Any forward-looking
statements represent HOOKIPA’s views only as of today and should
not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent
date. All information in this press release is as of the date of
the release, and HOOKIPA undertakes no duty to update this
information unless required by law.
For further information, please contact:
MediaInstinctif Partnershookipa@instinctif.com+44
(0)20 7457 2020 |
InvestorsMatt BeckExecutive Director – Investor
Relations +44 (0)20 7457matthew.beck@hookipapharma.com |
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