Novel dual CAR approach is designed to enhance CAR T-cell activity in solid tumors by addressing immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment

LOS ANGELES, CA, USA I April 22, 2024 I ImmPACT Bio USA Inc. (ImmPACT Bio), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of cellular therapies that have the potential to bring transformational benefits to patients, today announced that it will present new ex vivo preclinical data for ImmPACT Bio’s bispecific Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2)/TGF-β chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T program for the treatment of solid tumors that express CLDN18.2, including gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer, as part of a poster presentation at the upcoming American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 27th Annual Meeting, taking place in Baltimore, MD from May 7-11, 2024 and virtually.

“There is a significant unmet medical need in patients with gastric cancer, which is among the top three deadliest cancers globally. CLDN18.2 has emerged as a promising target due to its elevated expression in tumor cells but not healthy cells. Previous CAR T-cell therapies targeting CLDN18.2 have demonstrated promise but lacked durability, likely due to poor T-cell persistence and function in solid tumors,” said Sumant Ramachandra, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer of ImmPACT Bio. “We are using a novel bispecific approach designed to enhance CAR T-cell activity in solid tumors by overcoming immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. We will present new ex vivo preclinical data at ASGCT which demonstrated the ability of our bispecific CAR targeting CLDN18.2 and TGF-β to convert the immunosuppressive TGF-β signal into a T-cell activation signal to ultimately enhance T-cell fitness, reduce regulatory T-cell conversion, and decrease phenotypic exhaustion.”

Details for the presentation are as follows:

Title: Engineering a Bispecific Claudin 18.2/TGF-β CAR to Target Claudin 18.2 Positive Tumors and Overcome the Tumor Microenvironment
Abstract Number: 832
Presenter: Jessica Reyes, ImmPACT Bio
Poster Session Date/Time: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 12:00 – 7:00 PM ET
Author Reception Date/Time: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 5:30 – 7:00 PM ET
Poster Session: Immune Targeting and Approaches with Genetically Modified Cells and Cell Therapies

Abstracts and additional details can be found at the ASGCT 27th Annual Meeting website.

About ImmPACT Bio
ImmPACT Bio USA, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of cellular therapies that have the potential to bring transformational benefits to patients. The company’s logic-gate-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell platforms, licensed from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Technology Development Group, are specifically designed to deplete B -cells, prevent antigen escape, and overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. The company’s technology is based on the work of pioneering scientists, Yvonne Chen, Ph.D., and Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., both from UCLA. For more information, visit http://www.immpact-bio.com.

SOURCE: ImmPACT Bio USA