Pionyr Immunotherapeutics and Gilead Change Exclusive Option Agreement
- Gilead retains 49% equity stake in Pionyr; waives exclusive option to acquire Pionyr
- With two years of cash, Pionyr well-positioned to advance proprietary Myeloid TuningTM pipeline programs
- PY159 targeting TREM1 and PY314 targeting TREM2 continue to advance in Phase 1b expansion studies in multiple solid tumors
- Pionyr poised to file an IND this year for third therapeutic candidate, PY265, targeting MARCO
“We’ve made significant progress with our Myeloid Tuning platform and our clinical stage pipeline, and we are in a strong position to reach multiple inflection points for all of our programs in the next 12 to 18 months,” noted
Pionyr is continuing Phase 1b development of two monoclonal antibody drugs targeting TREM1 and TREM2 and is poised to file an IND this year for a third program targeting MARCO. TREM2, TREM1 and MARCO represent novel targets present on distinct populations of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment associated with suppression of the immune response to multiple tumor types. In Phase 1a and 1b studies, PY314 and PY159 have demonstrated encouraging safety and tolerability both alone and in combination with pembrolizumab warranting further clinical investigation. PY314, PY159 and PY265 are first-in-class assets that target these cellular populations to enhance anti-tumor immunity.
In 2020, Gilead paid
About Myeloid TuningTM
Pionyr has developed a therapeutic platform called Myeloid TuningTM, a process that rebalances the tumor microenvironment (TME) to promote anti-tumor immunity. Myeloid cells are a type of immune cell and are part of a family of cell types that regulate both the activation and suppression of the immune response to cancer.
One such critical type of myeloid cell, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), are a key component of the TME. TAMs are generally categorized into two functionally contrasting subtypes, called M1-like and M2-like macrophages. M1-like macrophages are inflammatory and have anti-tumor functions, including directly mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) to kill tumor cells.
Alternatively, M2-like macrophages are immune suppressive, and thereby inhibit T-cell-mediated anti-tumor responses, allowing for tumor angiogenesis, growth, and progression.
Myeloid Tuningdescribes the process of introducing agents that shift the balance of inhibitory myeloid cells—including M2-like TAMs—toward a more inflammatory, M1-like phenotype, to promote anti-tumor immune responses in the TME that destroy solid tumors.
About Pionyr Immunotherapeutics
Pionyr is exploiting novel target discovery and antibody generation platform technologies to create the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics after checkpoint inhibitors. The company’s initial approach, termed “Myeloid TuningTM,” is designed to enhance the immune system’s anti-tumor response by specifically altering the cellular infiltrate of the tumor microenvironment. Pionyr’s two lead programs in Phase 1 development, PY314 and PY159 targeting TREM2 and TREM1 respectively, are designed to selectively deplete and in some cases reprogram certain tumor-associated macrophages responsible for immunosuppression. Pionyr’s investors include Gilead,
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Evoke Canale
Carolyn.Hawley@evokegroup.com
Source: Pionyr Immunotherapeutics