On May 27, 2022 Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops virus-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, reported that an abstract reporting preliminary data from the two Phase I trials assessing TG4050, its individualized neoantigen cancer vaccine, has been selected for a poster presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) annual meeting (Press release, Transgene, MAY 27, 2022, View Source [SID1234615197]). The conference will be held online and in-person in Chicago, IL, USA, from June 3 to 7, 2022.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The abstract reports positive immunogenicity and clinical data generated from the two ongoing Phase I trials in patients with ovarian cancer and HPV-negative head and neck cancer (NCT03839524 and NCT04183166). The detailed data will be presented during a poster session on June 5, 2022, at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) conference.

Poster title: Phase 1 studies of personalized neoantigen vaccine TG4050 in ovarian carcinoma (OC) and head and neck carcinoma (HNSCC)

Abstract number: 2637
Session title: Developmental Therapeutics—Immunotherapy
Session date and time: Sunday, June 5, 2022, 8:00 am-11:00 am CDT

Authors: J.P. Delord, M. Block, C. Ottensmeier, G. Colon-Otero, C. Le Tourneau, A. Lalanne, O. Lantz, KL. Knutson, G. Lacoste, A. Tavernaro, M. Brandely, N. Silvestre, B. Grellier, Y. Yamashita, O. Kousuke, N. Yamagata, Y. Tanaka, B. Malone, E. Quemeneur, K. Bendjama

The abstract can be accessed on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and Transgene websites.

About the clinical trials

TG4050 is being evaluated in two Phase I clinical trials for patients with ovarian cancer (NCT03839524) and HPV-negative head and neck cancers (NCT04183166).

In a first Phase I trial, TG4050 is being administered to patients with HPV-negative head and neck cancer. A personalized treatment is created for each patient after they complete surgery and while they receive an adjuvant therapy. Half of the participants receive their vaccine immediately after they complete their adjuvant treatment. The other half is given TG4050 as an additional treatment at the time of recurrence of the disease. This randomized study is evaluating the treatment benefits of TG4050 in patients who have a high risk of relapse. Up to 30 patients will receive TG4050 in France, in the UK and in the USA. The principal investigator of the trial is Prof. Christian Ottensmeier, MD, PhD, Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Professor of Immuno-Oncology at the University of Liverpool. In France, the clinical trial is being conducted at Institut Curie, Paris by Prof. Christophe Le Tourneau, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), and at the IUCT-Oncopole, Toulouse by Prof. Jean-Pierre Delord. In the USA, the trial is being led by Dr. Yujie Zhao, MD, PhD, at the Mayo Clinic. Endpoints of the trial include safety, feasibility and biological activity of the therapeutic vaccine.

In parallel, a Phase I clinical trial of TG4050 is enrolling patients with ovarian cancer. This second trial is including patients at the time of asymptomatic relapse after surgery and first-line chemotherapy. Dr. Matthew Block, MD, PhD, Consultant Medical Oncology, Consultant Immunology and Associate Professor of Oncology at the Mayo Clinic (USA) is the principal investigator of the trial; in France, the trial is being conducted by Prof. Le Tourneau, MD, PhD, at Institut Curie and by Dr. Alexandra Martinez, MD, Associate Head of Surgical Department, at IUCT-Oncopole. Endpoints of the trial include safety, feasibility and biological activity of the therapeutic vaccine.

The first preliminary clinical data generated from the first patients treated with TG4050 were very encouraging.

About myvac

myvac is a viral vector (MVA – Modified Vaccinia Ankara) based, individualized immunotherapy platform that has been developed by Transgene to target solid tumors. myvac-derived products are designed to stimulate the patient’s immune system, recognize and destroy tumors using the patient’s own cancer specific genetic mutations. Transgene has set up an innovative network that combines bioengineering, digital transformation, established vectorization know-how and unique manufacturing capabilities. Transgene has been awarded "Investment for the Future" funding from Bpifrance for the development of its platform myvac. TG4050 is the first myvac-derived product being evaluated in clinical trials.

Click here to watch a short video on myvac.

About TG4050

TG4050 is an individualized immunotherapy being developed for solid tumors that is based on Transgene’s myvac technology and powered by NEC’s longstanding artificial intelligence (AI) expertise. This virus-based therapeutic vaccine encodes neoantigens (patient-specific mutations) identified and selected by NEC’s Neoantigen Prediction System. The prediction system is based on more than two decades of expertise in AI and has been trained on proprietary data allowing it to accurately prioritize and select the most immunogenic sequences.

TG4050 is designed to stimulate the immune system of patients in order to induce a T-cell response that is able to recognize and destroy tumor cells based on their own neoantigens. This individualized immunotherapy is developed and produced for each patient.

On May 27, 2022 Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EXAS), a leader in advanced cancer diagnostics, reported new data supporting its cancer tests and treatment guidance tools will be showcased in nine poster presentations and five e-abstracts at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, being held June 3-7 in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, Exact Sciences, MAY 27, 2022, View Source [SID1234615186]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"As the leading cause of death worldwide,1 cancer creates tremendous human suffering and staggering health care costs. Tests to help catch the disease earlier and guide more effective treatment are necessary to improve outcomes," said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. "Together with our collaborators from leading medical institutions, Exact Sciences is proud to present extensive data at this year’s ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. These presentations highlight the breadth of our pipeline and portfolio of tests as part of our relentless efforts to advance the field of cancer diagnostics."

Studies supporting Exact Sciences’ screening and earlier detection efforts include a comparison of simulated outcomes between stool- and blood-based colorectal cancer screening tests. The modeled outcomes suggest blood-based tests result in detecting fewer colorectal cancer cases compared to stool-based tests due to differences in colorectal cancer sensitivity and specificity and lower advanced adenoma detection rates.2 A cost-effectiveness analysis that assumed adherence to stool-based screening and/or follow-up colonoscopy increased when coinsurance was waived showed improvement in outcomes including life years gained and CRC incidence and mortality reductions.3 Another study indicated a shorter time to diagnosis for screenable versus symptom-driven cancers, supporting an expanded use of multi-cancer testing.4

Also being presented are findings from Mayo Clinic as part of the academic center’s ongoing collaboration with Exact Sciences to advance the use of methylated DNA markers in detecting a range of cancer types, including cutaneous melanoma, prostate cancer, and lymphoma.5

Data highlighting Exact Sciences’ precision oncology portfolio of tests will also be presented. The analyses support use of Oncomap and Oncomap ExTra, comprehensive genomic profiling tests formerly known as the Oncotype Map Pan-Cancer Tissue and GEM ExTra tests, respectively, to inform targeted therapy selection and clinical trial options for patients with advanced solid tumors.6 Also being presented is an overview of the ongoing CORRECT-MRD II study, designed to generate clinical validation data for the company’s minimal residual disease assay in Stage II and III colorectal cancer patients.7

Following are details for the fourteen abstracts that have been accepted at the 2022 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. All abstracts are now available in the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Meeting Library.

Saturday, June 4

NSABP C-14: CORRECT-MRD II – Second colorectal cancer clinical validation study to predict recurrence using a circulating tumor DNA assay to detect minimal residual disease
Authors: Salem, M., et al.
Session: Gastrointestinal Cancer ‒ Colorectal and Anal
Poster Discussion: 8:00-11:00 a.m. CT
Abstract Number: TPS3632

Methylated DNA markers in early detection of lymphoma: Discovery, validation, and clinical pilot
Authors: Witzig, T., et al.
Session: Hematologic Malignancies ‒ Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Poster Discussion: 8:00-11:00 a.m. CT
Abstract Number: 7562

Sunday, June 5

Comprehensive genomic profiling to identify gene alterations in DNA repair pathway across solid tumors
Authors: McDonnell, K., et al.
Session: Developmental Therapeutics ‒ Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology
Poster Discussion: 8:00-11:00 a.m. CT
Abstract Number: 3124

Monday, June 6

Comprehensive whole-exome and transcriptome profiling to identify actionable alterations associated with response to PARP inhibitors in breast cancer
Authors: Dombrowski, S., et al.
Session: Breast Cancer ‒ Metastatic
Poster Discussion: 8:00-11:00 a.m. CT
Abstract Number: 1096

BRAF mutation classes and co-occurring mutations in NSCLC
Authors: Niu, J., et al.
Session: Lung Cancer ‒ Non-Small Cell Metastatic
Poster Discussion: 8:00-11:00 a.m. CT
Abstract Number: 9083

Characterization of time to diagnosis indicates shorter interval for screenable versus symptom-driven cancers
Authors: Gainullin, V., et al.
Session: Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Hereditary Cancer
Poster Discussion: 1:15-4:15 p.m. CT
Abstract Number: 10526

Comparison of simulated outcomes between stool- and blood-based colorectal cancer screening tests
Authors: Fendrick, A. M., et al.
Session: Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Hereditary Cancer
Poster Discussion: 1:15-4:15 p.m. CT
Abstract Number: 10529

Plasma methylated DNA markers of cutaneous melanoma: Association with PET/CT-positive disease
Authors: Meves, A., et al.
Session: Melanoma/Skin Cancers
Poster Discussion: 3:15-6:15 p.m. CT
Abstract Number: 9567

Methylated DNA markers in urine aid in the selective identification of patients with prostate cancer as well as clinically significant pathology
Authors: Shah, P., et al.
Session: Genitourinary Cancer ‒ Prostate, Testicular, and Penile
Poster Discussion: 3:15-6:15 p.m. CT
Abstract Number: 5091

Online Publications

Cost-effectiveness of mt-sDNA vs mailed FIT outreach for Medicare Advantage enrollees using the CRC-AIM microsimulation model
Authors: Bhatt, J., et al.
Abstract Number: e18827

Cost-effectiveness of waiving coinsurance for follow-up colonoscopy after a positive stool-based colorectal screening test in a Medicare population
Authors: Fendrick, A. M., et al.
Abstract Number: e13624

Modeling analysis of COVID 19-related delays in colorectal cancer screening on simulated clinical outcomes
Authors: Wilson, L., et al.
Abstract Number: e13631

Plasma methylated DNA markers detect recurrence and response to therapy in colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhu, M., et al.
Abstract Number: e15567

On May 27, 2022 INOVIO (NASDAQ: INO) reported that results from the company’s novel Phase 1/2 trial of INO-5401 and INO-9012 in combination with PD-1 inhibitor Libtayo (cemiplimab) in the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM), including encouraging median overall survival (OS) data from fifty-two subjects. Median OS duration in unmethylated MGMT (Cohort A) was 17.9 months (Press release, Inovio, MAY 27, 2022, View Source;INO-9012-in-Combination-with-Libtayo-cemiplimab-in-Patients-with-Newly-Diagnosed-GBM-at-ASCO-Annual-Meeting-2022/default.aspx [SID1234615185]). Median OS data in MGMT Methylated patients (Cohort B) are being presented for the first time, at a median of 32.5 months, which compares favorably to historical comparisons (23.2-25 months).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Overall, INO-5401 + INO-9012 is demonstrated to be tolerable and immunogenic when administered with Libtayo and RT/TMZ (radiation and temozolomide) to newly diagnosed GBM patients. Notably, INO-5401 elicited antigen-specific T cells that may infiltrate GBM tumors. The data from this study was selected to be presented in an oral presentation by Dr. David Reardon on Monday, June 6, 2022, at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Presentation Details: June 6, 2022, 12:42 – 12:54 p.m. CDT
Presenting Author: David A. Reardon
Central Nervous System Tumors Session

Abstract #2004: Intramuscular (IM) INO-5401 + INO-9012 with electroporation (EP) in combination with cemiplimab (REGN2810) in newly diagnosed glioblastoma

Fifty-two subjects were enrolled: 32 in Cohort A; 20 in Cohort B (35% women; median age 60 years [range 19-78 years]). The adverse event profile was consistent with known single-agent (INO-5401, INO-9012, EP or Libtayo) events; most events were ≤Grade 2 and no related events were Grade ≥4. Median OS durations in Cohorts A and B were 17.9 months (95% CI 14.5-19.8) and 32.5 months (95% CI 18.4-not reached), respectively. Flow cytometry revealed activated, antigen specific CD4+CD69+PD1+ and CD8+CD69+PD1+ T cells, the latter with lytic potential as defined by presence of perforin and granzyme A. Both subsets exhibited HR < 1.0 and p < 0.05 when accounting for a 0.1% T cell frequency change, translating to a 23% and 28% reduced risk of death at 18 months, respectively.

A post-hoc exploratory analysis showed that gene expression levels of INO-5401 antigens and immune cell markers from pre-treatment tumor tissues were similar between alive and deceased groups; however, the alive group displayed significant differential expression of genes regulating apoptosis, proliferation, and immune responses. Post-treatment tumor tissue displayed altered gene expression for immune-related markers versus pre-treatment tissue, including markers of T cell infiltration, activation, and lytic potential.

Dr. David Reardon, Clinical Director, Center for Neuro-Oncology of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and coordinating principal investigator of the study said, "GBM remains one of the most aggressive and hard-to-treat cancers. The fact that we have seen this novel combination trial of a T cell generating DNA medicine combined with a PD-1 checkpoint benefit a large percent of trial participants past 32 months is very encouraging. These latest results and continued development are welcoming as it continues to improve upon a standard of care which was defined 17 years ago and remains sub-optimal for our patients with GBM."

Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, INOVIO’s Senior Vice President, Clinical Development, said, "We, along with our collaborative partner Regeneron, remain encouraged with the progress to date from this novel combination therapy study. As concluded in the abstract, INO-5401 + INO-9012 has an acceptable risk/benefit profile and elicits robust immune responses that may correlate with a potentially enhanced survival when administered with Libtayo and RT/TMZ to newly diagnosed GBM patients. Our goal is to build upon INO-5401’s ability to elicit antigen-specific T cells that can infiltrate GBM tumors and complement the clinically-active profile of Libtayo to a potentially larger study in the future."

INO-5401, INO-9012, Libtayo, and the combination of these products have not been approved or evaluated by any Regulatory Authority worldwide for the treatment of newly diagnosed GBM.

Study Design

The trial was designed to evaluate safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of INO-5401 and INO-9012 in combination with Libtayo, with radiation and chemotherapy, in subjects with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). This is a Phase 1/2, open-label, multi-center trial conducted in 52 evaluable patients with GBM. There are two cohorts in this trial. Cohort A includes 32 participants with a tumor with an unmethylated O6-methylguanine-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter. Cohort B includes 20 participants with a tumor with a MGMT methylated promoter. Both cohorts received INO-5401 and INO-9012 and Libtayo at the same doses and on the same dosing schedule, and both cohorts received radiation and TMZ. For more information of the clinical study, see www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03491683.

About INO-5401 and INO-9012

INO-5401 encodes for INOVIO’s SynCon antigens for hTERT, WT1, and PSMA, and has the potential to be a powerful cancer immunotherapy in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. The National Cancer Institute previously highlighted hTERT, WT1, and PSMA among a list of important cancer antigens, designating them as high priorities for cancer immunotherapy development. These three antigens were reported to be over-expressed, and often mutated, in a variety of human cancers including glioblastoma, and targeting these antigens may prove efficacious in the treatment of patients with cancer. INO-9012 encodes for IL-12, which is a T cell immune activator.

About Glioblastoma (GBM)

GBM is the most common and aggressive type of brain cancer and remains a devastating disease for both patients and caregivers. Its prognosis is extremely poor, with very few new therapies approved over the last 10 years. The median overall survival for patients receiving standard of care therapy is approximately 15 to 22 months and the median progression-free survival is approximately 7-10 months. In the U.S., the estimated annual incidence of GBM is 11,362 cases or 3.21 cases per 100,000 persons and the median age at diagnosis is 65 years.

On May 27, 2022 Purple Biotech Ltd. ("Purple Biotech", or the "Company") (NASDAQ/TASE: PPBT), a clinical-stage company focused on developing first-in-class, effective and durable therapies by harnessing the power of the tumor microenvironment to overcoming tumor immune evasion and drug resistance, reported positive interim safety and efficacy data from the Phase 1 study of NT219 in adults with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Purple Biotech, MAY 27, 2022, View Source [SID1234615184]). Findings will be presented during the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting as a poster presentation during the Developmental Therapeutics—Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology track (Abstract #3096).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We are very encouraged by the initial safety and efficacy signals from NT219, and the durability of response," said Michael Schickler, Ph.D., Head of Clinical & Regularly Affairs at Purple Biotech. "One patient with refractory gastroesophageal junction cancer, previously treated with four prior lines of therapies, was treated for 22 weeks and achieved a confirmed partial response. Remarkably, the patient has not progressed, approximately one year after the end of treatment. This, together with the demonstrated stable disease for patients with mutated-KRAS colon cancer and with the preclinical studies of NT219 in this cancer type, support the continuation of future clinical studies with NT219."

As of May 12, 2022, a total of 14 patients were enrolled to four NT219 dose levels (3 – 24mg/kg) in the dose escalation phase, of which 12 were evaluable for dose limiting toxicity (DLT) determination. Four patients included with colorectal cancer (CRC), three with pancreatic cancer, two with breast cancer, and one of each of the following cancers: gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), esophageal and appendiceal cancer. The median number of prior treatment regimens for metastatic disease was 4 (median 2-11).

Eight Grade 3 adverse events (AEs) were observed, no Grade 4 AEs or treatment related deaths were reported.

For the 12 evaluable patients, best overall response included one confirmed partial response (GEJ patient > 5.5 months duration of response), 3 stable disease (SD), in CRC patients with mutated KRAS, and one patient awaiting follow up MRI/CT scans. As of the cutoff date, ten patients that completed the dose limiting toxicity (DLT) period were either on treatment or in follow up (range 1.1 to 18 months). Evaluation of NT219 safety monotherapy and in combination with cetuximab continues in additional patients with advanced cancers.

"These data demonstrate the strong potential of NT219 as a viable treatment option for patients with cancer," said Isaac Israel, CEO of Purple Biotech. "As we continue to advance our portfolio of assets, we are focused on bringing forward a human-centric approach to cancer treatment, exploring agents and mechanisms of action that others may have overlooked, in order to improve patient outcomes. Our goal is to study NT219 in combination with cetuximab in patients with recurrent and metastatic colorectal cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), which we have already started."

NT219 is a first-in-class small molecule, a direct inhibitor of Insulin Receptor Substrates 1/2 (IRS) and STAT3, targeting IRS for degradation and suppressing STAT3 phosphorylation. Both IRS1/2 and STAT3 are major signaling junctions regulated by various oncogenes, mediating mitogenic, anti-angiogenic and metastatic processes and play an important role in the modulation of both the tumor and the tumor microenvironment, affecting drug resistance and duration of response.

On May 27, 2022 Instil Bio, Inc. ("Instil") (Nasdaq: TIL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing tumor infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL, therapies for the treatment of patients with cancer, reported IND clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") of ITIL-306, Instil’s first genetically-engineered Costimulatory Antigen Receptor TIL (CoStAR-TIL) therapy, as well as the presentation of supporting in vivo CoStAR data at the 2022 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting (Press release, Instil Bio, MAY 27, 2022, https://ir.instilbio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/instil-bio-announces-ind-clearance-first-costar-til-program-itil [SID1234615183]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"TILs have shown the ability to achieve complete responses in patients with solid tumors that are refractory to approved therapies, making these cells both a meaningful therapy for patients and a platform for innovation and next-generation therapies," said Bronson Crouch, Chief Executive Officer of Instil Bio. "CoStAR is designed to leverage the diversity and tumor-specificity of native TILs while enhancing their anti-tumor activity to improve the efficacy of TILs."

"TIL therapy can be limited by T cell exhaustion, which can be caused by chronic antigen stimulation in the absence of costimulation, conditions often found in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment," said Mark Dudley, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Instil Bio. "CoStAR is designed to address this challenge by providing synthetic costimulation in the tumor microenvironment to increase proliferative potential and improve the effector function of T cells, which may boost the efficacy of TILs."

ITIL-306 is an autologous TIL cell therapy engineered with a novel and proprietary Costimulatory Antigen Receptor (CoStAR) that is activated by folate receptor alpha (FRα) to provide robust costimulatory signals. CoStAR builds on the key advantages of native TILs, including their polyclonal anti-tumor reactivity, to enhance the cytokine release, cytolytic activity, and proliferation of TILs in the tumor microenvironment. The design of Instil’s first-in-human Phase 1 study of ITIL-306 will enroll patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ovarian cancer, and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and will start with a dose of one billion CoStAR-transduced TILs. Manufacturing for ITIL-306 will occur at Instil’s Tarzana, California manufacturing facility.

"CoStAR was designed to enhance the clinical activity of TILs and expand the reach of TIL therapy into solid tumor indications which have presented challenges for immunotherapy," said Zachary Roberts, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Instil Bio. "Based on extensive preclinical data supporting a novel mechanism of action lending markedly improved function, proliferation and persistence of CoStAR-expressing cells, we have designed the initial ITIL-306 clinical regimen to feature a significantly reduced dose of lymphodepleting chemotherapy and no post-infusion IL-2, a mainstay of unmodified TIL regimens. We believe these features of the study design are a first for the TIL field and were selected to improve patient safety while maximizing CoStAR’s clinical potential."

The poster presentation at the 2022 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting will outline findings from studies evaluating anti-FOLR1 CoStAR T cells in vitro as well as a mouse solid tumor model in vivo. The poster presentation highlights results demonstrating enhanced T cell function and tumor control by CoStAR-modified T cells. Importantly, improved tumor control in a mouse solid tumor model occurred without exogenous IL-2 administration, supporting a clinical CoStAR-TIL regimen free of high-dose IL-2. CoStAR T cells showed limited upregulation of PD-1 after target exposure and demonstrated improved persistence in vivo.

Details of the poster presentation are as follows:

Title: Antitumor activity of T cells expressing a novel anti-folate receptor alpha (FOLR1) costimulatory antigen receptor (CoStAR) in a human xenograft murine solid tumor model and implications for in-human studies
Session Type: Poster Session
Session Title: Developmental Therapeutics—Immunotherapy
Poster: 190
Date & Time: Sunday June 5, 2022, 9:00 AM EDT
Abstract Number: 2535

Additional information about the presentation and the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting is available on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) website.