On December 13, 2023 Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies in oncology that address cancer immune resistance, reported the peer-reviewed publication in Frontiers in Immunology of preclinical data highlighting the potential of KVA12123 as a new immunotherapy against poorly immunogenic tumors (Press release, Kineta, DEC 13, 2023, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kineta-publishes-preclinical-data-demonstrating-the-potential-of-anti-vista-antibody-kva12123-as-an-immunomodulatory-therapy-for-cancer [SID1234638530]). The publication titled "A Highly Potent Anti-VISTA Antibody KVA12123 – A New Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor and a Promising Therapy Against Poorly Immunogenic Tumors", reports on the development of KVA12123.
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"This scientific article summarizes the extensive characterization and selection of our clinical candidate KVA12123 that targets VISTA, a strong driver of immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment," said Thierry Guillaudeux, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Kineta. "These data demonstrate that our engineered IgG1 anti-VISTA antibody binds to a unique epitope at neutral and acidic pH and has significant potential to address immuno-resistance in cancer patients."
Key results from the publication include:
High affinity binding to VISTA through a unique epitope that is distinct from other clinical-stage anti-VISTA mAbs
High specificity against VISTA with no cross-reactivity against other members of the B7 family
Blockade of VISTA binding to all four of its respective ligands
Ability to reverse T cell suppression by myeloid-derived suppressor cells, one of the main drivers of immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment
Ability to induce T cell and NK-mediated monocyte activation
Strong single-agent antitumor activity in several syngeneic tumor models and enhanced efficacy in combination with anti-PD-1
On-target induction of cytokines/chemokines associated with VISTA blockade
Well tolerated in preclinical toxicology studies without antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity or induction of CRS-related cytokines
"We are excited to share the discovery, characterization and preclinical development of KVA12123 in Frontiers in Immunology, a well-known journal in the field," said Shawn Iadonato, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Kineta. "The publication highlights the differentiating potency and safety characteristics of KVA12123 that guided its advancement into clinical development. Our Phase 1/2 trial with KVA12123 as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors is on track, demonstrating early promising safety and biomarker results in the clinic."
KVA12123 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 VISTA-101 open-label clinical trial as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT05708950). Additional clinical efficacy data in the monotherapy arm and initial combination data with pembrolizumab are anticipated in Q2 2024.