MARSEILLE, France – Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: IPH; Nasdaq: IPHA) today announced the first patient was dosed in its Phase 1/2 multicenter trial, investigating the safety and tolerability of IPH6501 in patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory CD20-expressing B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL).
IPH6501 is Innate’s first-in-class CD20-targeting tetraspecific ANKET® (Antibody-based NK cell Engager Therapeutics) that co-engages CD20 as a target antigen on malignant B cells and three receptors on NK cells: two activating receptors (NKp46 and CD16) and the interleukin-2 receptor (but not its alpha subunit), with a human IL‑2 variant, hence providing proliferation and activation signals targeted to NK cells and promoting their cytotoxic activity against CD20 expressing malignant cells. The study is planned to enroll up to 184 patients.
“We are pleased to announce the dosing of a first patient in this Phase 1/2 study evaluating IPH6501, our proprietary ANKET® asset and the first tetraspecific NK Cell Engager to enter the clinic.” commented Dr Sonia Quaratino, Chief Medical Officer at Innate Pharma. “With the addition of the IL-2 variant, our second generation ANKET® molecules can deliver proliferation signals to NK cells, and thus enhance their effector functions against cancer cells. Thanks to this novel format, IPH6501 represents a promising alternative strategy to T cell therapies for patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.”
“The discovery and implementation of novel chemotherapies, T-cell based immunotherapies and targeted therapies have improved outcomes for patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas compared with traditional chemotherapy.” added Dr Lorenzo Falchi, Lymphoma Specialist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New-York, and principal investigator of the study. “However, many patients fail to achieve a response to or develop disease relapse after treatment. In this context, IPH6501 represents an innovative option for the treatment of patients with R/R B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and has the potential to fulfil a large unmet need.”
About B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
B-cell lymphomas are clonal tumors of mature and immature B cells that constitute the majority (80-85%) of NHLs. NHLs are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative malignancies. NHL usually originates in the lymphoid tissues and can spread to other organs. NHL is the most common hematological malignancy worldwide, accounting for nearly 3% of cancer diagnoses and deaths.
According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification, the most common B-NHL in Western countries is Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), accounting for around 31% of adult cases. Other common aggressive B-cell subtypes include Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) (6% of cases) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL) (2% of cases). Among indolent B-cell NHL, Follicular Lymphoma (FL) accounts for 22% of cases in the Western world, followed by marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) (8% of cases).
About IPH6501
IPH6501 is the first Antibody-based NK cell Engager Therapeutic to co-engage activating receptors on NK cells (NKp46 and CD16), IL-2R (but not α subunit) through a variant of human IL-2, and a tumor antigen (CD20) via a single molecule, hence providing proliferation and activation signals targeted to NK cells and promoting their cytotoxic activity against CD20 expressing malignant cells. IPH6501 has shown better anti-tumor efficacy than approved benchmark antibodies in preclinical tumor models (Demaria, EHA 2023).
About ANKET®
ANKET® (Antibody-based NK cell Engager Therapeutics) is Innate’s proprietary platform for developing next-generation, multispecific natural killer (NK) cell engagers to treat certain types of cancer. This fit-for-purpose technology is creating an entirely new class of molecules to induce synthetic immunity against cancer.
About Innate Pharma
Innate Pharma S.A. is a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapies for cancer patients. Its innovative approach aims to harness the innate immune system through therapeutic antibodies and its ANKET® proprietary platform.
Innate’s portfolio includes lead proprietary program lacutamab, developed in advanced form of cutaneous T cell lymphomas and peripheral T cell lymphomas, monalizumab developed with AstraZeneca in non-small cell lung cancer, as well as ANKET® multi-specific NK cell engagers to address multiple tumor types.
Innate Pharma is a trusted partner to biopharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi and AstraZeneca, as well as leading research institutions, to accelerate innovation, research and development for the benefit of patients.
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