On March 15, 2022 EXUMA Biotech, Corp., a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing cell and gene therapies for liquid and solid tumors, announced that preclinical data from its novel, subcutaneous CAR-TaNK therapy for hematological tumors, and in vivo engineered CAR gene therapy program (GCAR), will be presented in two posters at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2022, taking place April 8-13, in New Orleans, LA (Press release, EXUMA Biotechnology, MAR 15, 2022, View Source [SID1234610120]).

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EXUMA is currently conducting IND-enabling studies of the first products on its CAR-TaNK cell therapy platform, targeting CD19 and CD22. CAR-TaNKs are potent cancer killers with T and NK features, which preclinically have been observed to reproducibly and robustly expand in vivo in lymphoreplete animal models following the generation of synthetic lymph nodes post subcutaneous injection. Based on the absence of a lymphodepleting preparatory regimen, and favorable preclinical CAR-TaNK blood cytokine profile, EXUMA plans to pursue development of its CD19 and CD22 cell therapies for use in the community oncology setting.

Additionally, EXUMA presented robust B cell aplasia results obtained by directly injecting a CD3-targeting lentiviral vector (GCAR) into two different lymphoreplete humanized animal models. Further pre-clinical studies are ongoing to characterize the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of EXUMA’s GCAR gene therapy.

"We are excited to share data for the first time from our in vivo GCAR platform, as we continue our work to bring this program into the clinic. We will also be presenting important biological and mechanistic findings from our subcutaneous rPOC CAR-TaNK program, which is currently undergoing IND enabling studies. CAR-TaNK therapy holds great promise as a cancer treatment modality. EXUMA’s goal is to make engineered cell and gene therapies more scalable, affordable, and accessible to patients across the globe," said Sid Kerkar, M.D., VP of R&D.

Abstract Title ("rPOC"): "Generation of tertiary lymphoid structures and CD3 + CD8+ CD56+ NKG2D+ CAR-TaNK cells following subcutaneous injection of CD3- directed lentiviral-loaded PBMCs"
Session: Adoptive Cell Therapy 1
Abstract Number: 5673
Presentation Date & Time: Sunday, April 10th, 1:30 pm-5:00 pm
Presenter: Dr. Sid P. Kerkar, M.D.
Location: Poster Section 36

Abstract Title ("GCAR") : "In vivo delivery of a novel CD3-targeted lentiviral vector generates CD19 CAR-T cells in two different humanized mouse models and results in complete B cell depletion"
Session: Gene and Vector-Based Therapy
Abstract Number: 6345
Presentation Date & Time: Tuesday, April 12th, 1:30 pm-5:00 pm
Presenter: Frederic Vigant, Ph.D.
Location: Poster Section 24

About rPOC SC CAR-TaNK platform

EXUMA’s next-generation "rPOC" platform is being developed for subcutaneous administration without the need for lymphodepleting chemotherapy or long-term immunosuppression. The unique CAR-TaNK cell type producing less CRS-associated cytokines, combined with the lack of lymphodepleting chemotherapy, may result in fewer side effects and hospitalizations thereby potentially allowing for administration in a community oncology setting.

About GCAR in vivo gene therapy platform

"GCAR" is a novel in vivo CAR gene therapy platform that holds the potential to directly deliver CAR constructs specifically into CD3+ cells, while simultaneously providing an activation signal to enable efficient gene integration in vivo without the need to modify cells ex vivo and without the need for lymphodepleting chemotherapy. This platform has the potential to address many of the challenges of existing cell therapy including manufacturing cost and complexity, time, scalability, and safety.