Cancer Focus Fund LP is investing US$5 million in funding to support ISA Pharmaceuticals BV's ISA-103 in a first-in-human study for the treatment of uveal melanoma.
Multiple myeloma (MM) represents about 10% of all blood cancers, remaining an incurable disease with a 5-year overall survival rate of 56%. B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a receptor in the cell surface that is highly expressed in malignant plasma cells, and in normal cells, that promotes cell proliferation and survival by binding to APRIL and BAFF ligands.
G-protein coupled receptor family C group 5 member D (GPRC5D) is a tumor-associated receptor that is highly expressed in multiple myeloma (MM) and is a potential target for therapy in MM. Preclinical data have been presented for FT-555, an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived CAR-NK (CAR-iNK) cell product that exerts dual targeting on GPRC5D and CD38 in combination with daratumumab.
Hotspot Therapeutics Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application for HST-1011, the company's investigational small-molecule allosteric inhibitor of casitas B-lineage lymphoma-B (CBL-B), an E3 ubiquitin protein ligase critically involved in immune cell response.
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) originate from a clonal expansion of B cells (85%), T cells/NK cells (15%) or macrophages (~1%) due to an accumulation of genetic lesions in tumor suppressor genes. Approximately 82,000 new cases of NHL were diagnosed in 2021.
Askgene Pharma Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application to start a phase I study of ASKG-915, a novel and proprietary anti-PD-1/IL-15 prodrug fusion molecule for the treatment of cancer.
Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. has received IND approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for two immuno-oncology bispecific antibodies, SIM-0348 and SIM-0237.
Researchers from Cytovia Therapeutics Inc. have presented preclinical data for the novel natural killer (NK) cell engager antibody CYT-338, which was designed using the proprietary FLEX-NKTM platform. CYT-338 contains a novel FLEX-linker to redirect NK cells expressing NKp46 activation receptor to kill CD38-expressing tumors, including multiple myeloma (MM). It was observed that the addition of CYT-338 led to dose-dependent enhancement iNK and PBNK cytolysis of the MM tumor spheroids.
Previous evidence suggests that MEK/BRAF inhibitors targeting aberrant activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway can sensitize tumors to immunotherapy through different mechanisms. This occurs in NRAS/BRAF mutant melanoma, where kinase inhibitor treatment sensitizes tumors to immunotherapy, at least partly, through an increase in the average surface presentation of peptide major histocompatibility molecules (pMHC) molecules. However, the optimal combination, order and timing of administration of both therapeutic strategies remain unclear.
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