On May 22, 2024 NeoPhore Limited, a small molecule neoantigen immuno-oncology company, reported that Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) has joined its oversubscribed Series B extension round (Press release, NeoPhore, MAY 22, 2024, View Source [SID1234643549]).

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The additional investment from Bristol Myers Squibb will enable NeoPhore to explore novel biology associated with the DNA mismatch repair (‘MMR’) pathway in cancer, as well as further progress its pre-clinical studies and deliver a candidate drug in 2025.

NeoPhore is focused on building a pipeline of small molecule drugs targeting novel proteins across the MMR pathway to generate next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients. Its first-in-class MMR inhibitors induce neoantigen expression and increase immunogenicity in solid tumours that become exquisitely sensitive to immunotherapy.

Dr Matthew Baker, Chief Executive Officer of NeoPhore, said: "We are thrilled to have Bristol Myers Squibb, an innovator in the immuno-oncology space, join our oversubscribed Series B extension round. The funding strengthens NeoPhore’s position and enables us to complete the necessary pre-clinical studies to deliver a candidate drug for our lead PMS2 program in 2025."

Dr Robert James, Chairman of NeoPhore, said: "The addition of Bristol Myers Squibb to the Series B extension supports NeoPhore’s novel approach to targeting the MMR pathway with small molecule inhibitors to treat cancer. Building on NeoPhore’s successes in 2023, we hope to see a year of progress for the Company’s pre-clinical programs".

On May 22, 2024 Mersana Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRSN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in areas of high unmet medical need, reported that members of management will present at the following upcoming investor conferences (Press release, Mersana Therapeutics, MAY 22, 2024, View Source [SID1234643531]):

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TD Cowen 5th Annual Oncology Innovation Summit
Format: Fireside chat
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time

Goldman Sachs 45th Annual Global Healthcare Conference
Format: Fireside chat
Date/Time: Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Live webcasts of these events will be available on the Investors & Media section of Mersana’s website at www.mersana.com. Archived replays will be available for approximately 90 days following the events.

On May 22, 2024 GV20 Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company integrating AI, genomics, and disease biology to create next-generation antibody therapeutics for cancer, reported that it will present at the Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference Private Biotech Day, taking place June 4th, 2024, in New York (Press release, GV20 Therapeutics, MAY 22, 2024, View Source [SID1234643550]).

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Company management will be conducting one-on-one meetings with investors at the conference.

On May 21, 2024 Protara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TARA), a clinical-stage company developing transformative therapies for the treatment of cancer and rare diseases, reported that management will participate in a virtual fireside chat at the TD Cowen 5th Annual Oncology Innovation Summit on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 3:00 pm ET (Press release, Protara Therapeutics, MAY 21, 2024, View Source [SID1234643493]).

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A live webcast of the fireside chat can be accessed by visiting the Events and Presentations section of the Company’s website: View Source The webcast will be archived for a limited time following the presentation.

On May 21, 2024 Indapta Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company developing next-generation differentiated cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has granted the company a competitive product development research award (Press release, Indapta Therapeutics, MAY 21, 2024, View Source [SID1234643513]). The $4.5 million grant will support Indapta’s ongoing clinical development of its lead product, IDP-023, for patients with advanced non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

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"We greatly appreciate that CPRIT has recognized the promise of Indapta’s allogeneic g-NK cell therapy for the treatment of advanced cancer patients," said Dr. Mark Frohlich, CEO of Indapta. "We are highly encouraged to be seeing early evidence of clinical activity in the safety run-in portion of the trial at the lowest cell dose and without the addition of a monoclonal antibody. We look forward to using the CPRIT funds to treat additional patients in order to reach clinical proof-of-concept in our Phase 1 dose escalation trial."

Patients enrolled in the Phase I clinical trial to date have received up to three planned doses of IDP-023 with or without interleukin-2. Once safety of multiple doses in combination with interleukin-2 has been established, cohorts of patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma will receive escalating doses of IDP-023 in combination with the monoclonal antibodies, rituximab and daratumumab, respectively.

Indapta’s Differentiated g-NK Cell Therapy

Indapta’s universal, allogeneic NK cell therapy platform consists of a potent subset of naturally occurring NK cells, known as "g minus" NK cells, or "g-NK" cells. G‑NK cells arise from epigenetic changes resulting from exposure to cytomegalovirus (CMV). To generate IDP-023, Indapta preferentially expands g-NK cells from healthy donors, with low donor to donor variability. IDP-023 has several differentiated mechanisms of killing target cells without the need for genetic engineering, including highly robust antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), the targeting of HLA-E expressing cells via the NKG2C receptor, and the inherent anti-viral activity of g-NK cells.

Indapta’s g-NK can release dramatically more immune activating cytokines and cell-killing compounds than conventional NK cells. In preclinical studies, IDP-023 has demonstrated more potent and durable antitumor activity when combined with cancer targeting monoclonal antibodies as compared to conventional NK cells. (Bigley et al., Blood Advances 2021, View Source)

Based on evidence that endogenous g-NK cells are protective against the development of multiple sclerosis, as well as slow disease progression in patients with multiple sclerosis, Indapta plans to file an IND in Q3 to initiate a clinical trial of g-NK cells in patients with multiple sclerosis.