Innate Pharma's trifunctional NK cell engagers for multiple cancers

INDICATION: Lung cancer; lymphoma; solid tumors

Innate Pharma S.A. showed that its trifunctional NK cell engager platform could be deployed against lymphoma, lung cancer and solid tumors. The trifunctional NK cell engagers are antibodies containing an Fc domain which activates NK cells by binding CD16 and a bispecific Fv domain targeting tumor antigens and the NK cell-activating receptor NCR1, which Innate detected on 24.5-72% of lymphocytes in 550 solid tumor samples from patients with seven solid tumor types. Trifunctional antibodies targeting the CD20 or EGFR tumor antigens killed cultured lymphoma and lung cancer cells more potently than rituximab or Gazyva obinutuzumab, anti-CD20 antibodies with engineered Fc domains that enhance tumor cell killing by innate immune cells, or a variant of the EGFR-targeting antibody lacking a CD16-targeting Fc domain. In two mouse models of B cell-derived solid tumors, the CD20-targeting trifunctional antibody reduced tumor growth and raised the survival rate compared with Gazyva. Innate has partnered to develop at least three preclinical trifunctional NK cell engager programs against undisclosed targets: two with Sanofi and one with AstraZeneca plc...