On November 30, 2018 Eureka Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with the goal of curing cancer by developing novel T-cell therapies that harness the evolutionary power of the immune system, reported that five abstracts, including four oral presentations and one poster discussion, highlighting clinical programs in multiple myeloma and NHL using binding domains developed by Eureka, have been accepted for presentation at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting being held December 1-4 in San Diego, California (Press release, Eureka Therapeutics, NOV 30, 2018, View Source [SID1234531755]).

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The data presented at this meeting underscores the potential potency of antibodies generated from Eureka’s proprietary E-ALPHA discovery platform, which includes the human BCMA and CD19 binding domains used in the CAR-T and ARTEMIS T-cell therapies presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper). The E-ALPHA platform comprises a highly diverse human-derived antibody phage library, containing over 100 billion clones with unique antibody sequences, and a robust workflow to develop highly specific antibodies against target antigens.

"We are pleased to be working with Eureka on our multiple myeloma programs," said Eric Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Translational Development, Cellular Therapeutics Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and co-inventor of CARs for the targeting of multiple myeloma. "Working with Eureka to identify fully-human BCMA and other multiple myeloma targeted binding domains has the potential to avoid host anti-CAR immunity that may develop when using murine derived antibodies as binders. We look forward to continue working with Eureka on developing the next generation of T-cell therapies."

"We are delighted that data involving Eureka’s assets are being reported in many presentations at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) – in particular the exciting clinical data from the BCMA/multiple myeloma programs that we developed in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2012 and licensed to Juno Therapeutics (now Celgene) in 2016," said Dr. Cheng Liu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eureka Therapeutics. "In addition, the updated data from the 21-patient proof-of-concept study of our ARTEMIS T-cell therapy (ET190L1 ARTEMIS) for CD19-positive r/r NHL continues to show that our ARTEMIS T-cells have been well tolerated with no observed cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurotoxicity, validating the potential of our ARTEMIS platform to deliver safer T-cell therapy than the currently available CAR-T therapies."

The accepted abstracts are listed below and are now available on the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) website.

Multiple Myeloma

CAR T Cell Therapy Targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D), a Novel Target for the Immunotherapy of Multiple Myeloma
Author: Eric L. Smith, MD, PhD
Abstract #589
Oral Session: 652. Myeloma: Pathophysiology and Pre-Clinical Studies, excluding Therapy: Development of Novel Immunotherapeutic Approaches in Multiple Myeloma
Monday, December 3, 2018: 7:00 AM, Ballroom 20D
Clinical Responses and Pharmacokinetics of MCARH171, a Human-Derived BCMA Targeted CAR T Cell Therapy in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Final Results of a Phase I Clinical Trial
Author: Sham Mailankody, MBBS
Abstract #959
Oral Session: 653. Myeloma: Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Immunotherapies in Plasma Cell Disorders
Monday, December 3, 2018: 5:30 PM, Ballroom 20A
JCARH125, Anti-BCMA CAR T-cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Initial Proof of Concept Results from a Phase 1/2 Multicenter Study (EVOLVE)
Author: Sham Mailankody, MBBS
Abstract #957
Oral Session: 653. Myeloma: Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Immunotherapies in Plasma Cell Disorders
Monday, December 3, 2018: 5:00 PM, Ballroom 20A
Fully Human BCMA Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Administered in a Defined Composition Demonstrate Potency at Low Doses in Advanced Stage High Risk Multiple Myeloma
Author: Damian J. Green, MD
Abstract #1011
Oral Session: 653. Myeloma: Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Immunotherapy
Monday, December 3, 2018: 6:45 PM, Ballroom 20D
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

ET190L1-ARTEMIS T Cell Therapy Results in Durable Disease Remissions with No Cytokine Release Syndrome or Neurotoxicity in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory B-Cell Lymphoma
Author: Zhitao Ying, MD, PhD
Abstract #1689
Poster Session: 626. Aggressive Lymphoma (Diffuse Large B-Cell and Other Aggressive B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas)—Results from Prospective Clinical Trials: Poster I
Saturday, December 1, 2018, 6:15 PM-8:15 PM, Hall GH
About E-ALPHA Antibody Discovery Platform
Eureka’s proprietary E-ALPHA antibody discovery platform is composed of a highly diverse human-derived antibody phage library, containing over 100 billion clones with unique antibody sequences, and a robust workflow with specificity screens designed to develop highly specific antibodies against target antigens. The E-ALPHA platform is designed to enable Eureka to rapidly discover, iterate upon and improve our antibodies. Eureka’s E-ALPHA platform enables Eureka to develop highly specific antibodies for both conventional targets, such as cell surface markets, and T-cell receptor targets, such as intracellular peptides displayed by the major histocompatibility complex, with the goal of addressing solid tumors.

About ARTEMIS T-cell Receptor Platform
Eureka’s proprietary ARTEMIS T-cell receptor platform was designed to create potentially safer and more effective T-cell therapies. In pre-clinical studies against CD19-positive malignancies, Eureka’s ARTEMIS T-cells matched the cancer killing potency of currently available CAR-T therapies but with a dramatic reduction in the levels of inflammatory cytokines released. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity are serious side effects associated with currently available CAR-T therapies.