ImmunityBio Announces Publication of Preclinical Data Demonstrating IL-15 Superagonist N-803 Improves Natural Killer-Mediated...
November 23 2020 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
N-803 Boosts CD34+ Progenitor-Derived NK Cell
Expansion and Functionality
Adding N-803 to NK Cell Therapy has Potential
to Improve Cancer Immunotherapy
ImmunityBio, a privately-held immunotherapy company, today
announced the publication in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy of
preclinical data demonstrating that ImmunityBio’s Anktiva™ (IL-15
superagonist also known as N-803) improves interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)
production and killing of tumor of cells in vitro and in vivo by
CD34+ progenitor-derived natural killer (NK) cells. Anktiva is
currently being evaluated in late-stage clinical trials in
combination with NantKwest’s (NASDAQ: NK) NK cell therapies for
multiple indications including metastatic pancreatic cancer, triple
negative breast cancer (TNBC), bladder cancer and lung cancer.
“While allogeneic NK cell therapy is a promising and potentially
paradigm-shifting approach for cancer immunotherapy, there are
still considerable challenges remaining in the field,” said Patrick
Soon-Shiong, M.D., Chairman and CEO of ImmunityBio. “One way to
boost NK cell function is through the use of IL-15, however, its
short in vivo half-life limits its utility in the clinic. Anktiva
was developed to overcome the limitations of IL-15 to fully unleash
the potential of NK cell immunotherapy. These preclinical data are
an important step forward in demonstrating the potential of Anktiva
to boost NK cell functionality by increasing the production of key
cytokines and improving killing properties across diverse in vitro
and in vivo cancer models. Importantly, these data provide
validating proof-of-mechanism that support the encouraging clinical
data observed to date when combining Anktiva with NantKwest’s NK
cell therapies across a range of challenging solid tumors with poor
prognoses. We look forward to the continued evaluation of Anktiva
as a promising IL-15 superagonist, which may be broadly applied to
improve NK cell-based immunotherapies.”
Key findings from the study performed under the guidance of
Prof. Harry Dolstra at the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life
Sciences in The Netherlands, reported in the publication titled,
“IL-15 superagonist N-803 improves IFN-γ production and killing of
leukemia and ovarian cancer cells by CD34+ progenitor-derived NK
cells” include:
- Anktiva induces HPC-NK cell proliferation in a dose-dependent
manner;
- Treatment with Anktiva increases IFN-γ production in CD34+
hematopoietic progenitor-derived NK cells (HPC-NK) stimulated with
leukemia cells lines and improves killing of primary AML samples
from patients;
- Anktiva improves serial killing properties of HPC-NK cells
against leukemia as measured by live cell imaging with single cell
resolution;
- Anktiva increases CXCL10 production and improves long-term
HPC-NK cell-mediated killing in ovarian cancer spheroids, an
ovarian cancer model which mimics three-dimensional growth of
ovarian cancer in vivo;
- HPC-NK cells combined with Anktiva and nanogam (human
immunoglobulins) show anti-tumor effects in a human ovarian cancer
mouse model;
Together, these data point to the clear potential of Anktiva™ to
improve efficacy of NK cell-based immunotherapies by promoting
HPC-NK cell expansion and functionality.
About ImmunityBio
ImmunityBio, Inc. is a late-stage immunotherapy company
developing next-generation therapies that drive immunogenic
mechanisms for defeating cancers and infectious disease. The
company’s immunotherapy platform activates both the innate (natural
killer cell and macrophage) and adaptive (T cell) immune systems to
create long-term “immunological memory.” This novel approach is
designed to eliminate the need for high-dose chemotherapy, improve
upon the outcomes of current CAR T-cell therapies, and extend
beyond checkpoint inhibitors.
ImmunityBio has established three fundamental platforms to drive
long term immunological memory. These include first-in-class
antibody cytokine fusion proteins, synthetic immune modulators, and
second-generation vaccine vector platforms.
ImmunityBio’s lead cytokine infusion protein, a novel
interleukin-15 (IL-15) superagonist complex (Anktiva™), has
received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for BCG-unresponsive CIS non-muscle
invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Other indications currently at
registration-stage trials include BCG-unresponsive papillary
bladder cancer, first- and second-line lung cancer, triple-negative
breast cancer, metastatic pancreatic cancer, recurrent
glioblastoma, and soft tissue sarcoma in combination with the
company’s synthetic immune modulator (Aldoxorubicin).
ImmunityBio is also developing therapies, including vaccines,
for the prevention and treatment of HIV, influenza, and the
coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with its second-generation human adenovirus
(hAd5) vaccine platform.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning or
implying that ImmunityBio will be successful in improving the
treatment of various diseases, including, but not limited to the
novel coronavirus and cancer. Risks and uncertainties related to
this endeavor include, but are not limited to, the company’s
beliefs regarding the success, cost, and timing of its development
activities and clinical trials.
Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current
expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely
from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute
guarantees of future performance, and you are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we
disclaim any obligation to update these statements except as may be
required by law.
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Jen Hodson NANT Jen@nant.com 562-397-3639
NantKwest (NASDAQ:NK)
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