Takeda and MD Anderson Announce Collaboration to Accelerate the Development of Clinical-Stage, Off-The-Shelf CAR NK-Cell Therapy Platform
− Ongoing Phase 1/2a Study of CD19 CAR-NK with Pivotal Study Expected to Enroll Patients in 2021
− Potential to be the First CAR Cell Therapy Approved for
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Under the agreement, Takeda will receive access to MD Anderson’s CAR NK platform and the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize up to four programs, including a CD19-targeted CAR NK-cell therapy and a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted CAR NK-cell therapy. Takeda and MD Anderson will also conduct a research collaboration to further develop these CAR NK programs.
“Our vision is to improve upon existing treatments by developing armored CAR NKs that could be administered off-the-shelf in an outpatient setting—enabling more patients to be treated effectively, quickly and with minimal toxicities,” said
A Novel Approach to Delivering Off-the-Shelf CARs in an Outpatient Setting
MD Anderson’s allogeneic CAR NK platform isolates NK cells from umbilical cord blood and engineers them to express CARs against specified cancer targets. CAR NK cells are modified with a retroviral vector to deliver genes and enhance their effectiveness to attack specific tumors. A CD19 CAR increases the cells’ specificity for B-cell malignancies while the immunocytokine IL-15 enhances the proliferation and survival of the CAR NK cells in the body.
In contrast to current CAR T-cell therapies that utilize a patient’s own genetically modified T-cells and require a multi-week manufacturing process, CAR NK cells are intended to be manufactured from a non-related donor source and stored for off-the-shelf use, allowing treatment to be delivered more rapidly.
It is anticipated that the CD19 CAR NK-cell therapy could be administered in an outpatient setting. In an ongoing phase 1/2a clinical study treating patients with relapsed and refractory B-cell malignances, the CD19 CAR NK-cell therapy has not been associated with the severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurotoxicity observed with existing CAR-T therapies.
The development of MD Anderson’s CAR NK platform is led by Dr. Rezvani and is further supported by the adoptive cell therapy platform, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Moon Shot® and B-Cell Lymphoma Moon Shot®, all part of the institution’s Moon Shots Program®, a collaborative effort to rapidly develop scientific discoveries into meaningful clinical advances that save patients’ lives.
Takeda: Accelerating the Development of Multiple Next-Generation CAR Platforms
“MD Anderson’s CAR NK platform represents the curative potential of cell therapies, which is why we are establishing the CD19 CAR NK as our lead cell therapy candidate in oncology,” said
In addition to CAR NK-cell therapies, Takeda and its partners are investigating multiple approaches to improving the safety, efficacy and accessibility of first-generation CAR T-cell therapies including gamma delta CAR Ts, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CAR Ts, CAR Ts targeting solid tumors, and other next-generation approaches. Takeda plans to advance five oncology cell therapies to the clinic by the end of FY20.1 These platforms are being developed both with partners and by applying the expertise of Takeda’s translational cell therapy engine which provides bioengineering, chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC), clinical and translational capabilities in a single footprint to overcome many of the manufacturing challenges experienced in cell therapy development.
Takeda is responsible for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of CAR NK products resulting under the agreement. MD Anderson will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive development and commercial milestones for each target as well as tiered royalties on net sales of any such CAR NK product.
MD Anderson and Takeda will continue research for the additional targets and CAR NK platform under the direction of a joint research committee. MD Anderson will implement an Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan for this research.
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1 Takeda’s 2020 fiscal year begins
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Source:
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Clayton Boldt
+1 (713) 792-9518
cboldt@mdanderson.org
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Media in Japan
Kazumi Kobayashi
+81 (0) 3-3278-2095
kazumi.kobayashi@takeda.com
Media Outside Japan
Chris Stamm
+1 (617) 374-7726
chris.stamm@takeda.com
