SAN FRANCISCO, April 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) announced that collaborators at the Cairo laboratory in New York Medical College today presented data from several preclinical studies demonstrating the potential of NKTR-255 to enhance the anti-tumor activities of different CAR-T therapies in a variety of preclinical cancer models. Presentations include an oral presentation by Wen LuoPh.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at NYMC, the live and in vitro efficacy of NKTR-255 combined with anti-MCAMa SELFb modified Natural Killer (NK) cells in several tumor models, and a poster presentation of Yaya ChuPh.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at NYMC, presenting studies of NKTR-255 in combination with ex-vivo Expanded anti-CD19 CAR NK cells and anti-CD20 or anti-CD79 antibodies in models of Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL).
“Our research builds on the body of knowledge on the role of an agent that activates the complete IL-15 biological pathway in the field of cell therapy,” said Mitchell S. Cairo, MD, Director of the Cairo Laboratory, Head of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Director of the Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases in Children and Adolescents, Associate President of the Department of Pediatrics and Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine, Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, and Cell Biology & Anatomy at NYMC. “Findings from my lab show that the ability of NKTR-255 to grow and proliferate NK cells resulted in improved efficacy of two different CAR therapies in our preclinical models.”
The oral presentation will be streamed virtually live on Saturday April 23rd2022 to 3:00 PM MT and can be accessed on the meeting organizer’s website at https://www.astct.org/attend/tandem-meetings. These presentations can be downloaded from http://www.nektar.com/science/scientific-posters.
Key details and takeaways from the two contributors’ presentations include:
Summary 27: “Targeting Ewing’s sarcoma, osteosarcoma and neuroblastoma with anti-MCAM chimeric antigen receptor-modified natural killer cells” Luo, W., et al.
Type of presentation: Oral presentation
Speaker: Wen Luo, Ph.D.
Session: Oral Summary – Session C – Immune and Gene Therapy
The virtual live broadcast of the presentation will begin at 3:00 p.m. MT Saturday April 23rd2022
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NKTR-255 enhances expression of NK cell activation receptors, stimulates NK cell proliferation and supports NK cell expansion
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NKTR-255 enhances anti-MCAM CAR NK cell cytotoxicity against Ewing’s sarcoma, osteosarcoma and neuroblastoma in vitro
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Anti-MCAM CAR NK Alone or in Combination with NKTR-255 Significantly Decreases Lung Metastasis and Prolongs Animal Survival in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Ewing’s Sarcoma
Abstract 201: “Optimization of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity combined with therapeutic anti-CD20 or anti-CD79 antibodies and NKTR-255 in Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL)” Chu, Y., et al.
Type of presentation: Attach
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NKTR-255 + obinutuzumab, a humanized anti-CD20 type II monoclonal antibody (mAb) glycomodified to enhance Fc receptor affinity, significantly improved the in vitro cytotoxicity of anti-CD19 NK CARs compared to controls against multiple Burkitt’s lymphoma model (Raji) (p
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These results were confirmed using Raji-2R and Raji-4RH cells
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NKTR-255 + polatuzumab vedotin (PV), an anti-CD79 mAb glycomodified to enhance Fc receptor affinity, significantly improved the in vitro the cytotoxicity of anti-CD19 CAR NK cells compared to control groups such as expanded NK cells + NKTR-255 + PV against Raji (p
Posters will be displayed Sunday, April 24, 2022 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.; Monday, April 25, 2022 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday, April 26, 2022 from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (every hour MDT)
Poster receptions are on Sunday, April 24, 2022 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. MDT
About NYMC
Founded in 1860, New York Medical College is one of the oldest and largest health sciences colleges in the nation with nearly 1,500 students and 330 residents and clinical fellows, more than 2,600 faculty members, and 23,200 living alumni. The College, which joined Touro University in 2011, is located in Westchester County, New York Stateand offers degrees from the School of Medicine, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences and Practice, Touro College of dentistry at NYMC, and the Touro College School of Health Sciences nursing program at NYMC. NYMC offers a wide variety of clinical education opportunities for students, residents, and practitioners. For more information, visit www.nymc.edu.
About the NKTR-255
NKTR-255 is an investigational IL-15 receptor agonist designed to stimulate the immune system’s natural ability to fight cancer. NKTR-255 increases the proliferation and survival of anticancer natural killer (NK) cells and memory CD8+ T cells. NKTR-255 engages the entire IL-15 receptor complex (IL-15Rα/IL-15Rβγ) to enhance long-term immunological memory formation, which may lead to a sustained antitumor immune response.
NKTR-255 is specifically designed using Nektar’s expertise in polymer chemistry to mimic the body’s natural IL-15 biological activity, resulting in optimal IL-15 pathway activation. NKTR-255 is specifically designed to overcome the challenges of recombinant IL-15, which must be administered in high doses due to its rapid clearance from the body, which limits its usefulness due to its toxicity and lack of convenience and use.
About Nektar
Nektar Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company with a strong wholly-owned R&D portfolio of investigational drugs in the areas of oncology, immunology and inflammatory diseases, as well as a portfolio of partner-approved drugs. Nektar is headquartered in San Francisco, Californiawith additional operations in Huntsville, Alabama and Hyderabad, India. Additional information about the Company and its drug development programs and capabilities is available online at http://www.nektar.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by words such as: “will”, “may”, “conceive”, “potential”, “initiate”, “plan”, “move forward” and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding future development plans and the timing of data readings for bempegaldesleukin. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor guarantees of future performance. Instead, they are based solely on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions about the future of our business, our future plans and strategies, expected events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not rely on any such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements include, among others: (i) our statements regarding the therapeutic potential of bempegaldesleukin are based on preclinical and clinical findings and observations and are subject to change as research and development continues; (ii) bempegaldesleukin is an investigational agent and further research and development of this drug candidate is subject to substantial risks, including negative safety and efficacy results in ongoing clinical studies (despite positive results from previous preclinical and clinical studies); (iii) bempegaldesleukin remains in clinical development and the risk of clinical failure is high and may occur unexpectedly at any stage prior to regulatory approval; (iv) the timing of the end of clinical trials and the availability of clinical data may be delayed or unsuccessful due to; (v) patents may not issue from our patent applications for our drug candidates, patents that have issued may not be enforceable, or additional intellectual property licenses from third parties may be required; and (vi) certain other important risks and uncertainties set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2022. Any forward-looking statement we make in this press release is based solely on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Contact:
For investors:
Viviane Wu by Nektar Therapeutics
628-895-0661
For the media:
Dan Budwick from 1AB
973-271-6085
dan@1abmedia.com
a) MCAM: Melanoma Cell Adhesion Molecule
b) CAR: Chimeric Antigenic Receptor
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