Chimeric Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:CHM)'s CAR-T program targeting CDH17, currently under development as CHM 2101, has been featured in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Cancer, highlighting its highly innovative and scientific merit.
The company's CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor t-cell) program targeting CDH17 (cadherin 17) may have broad applicability in solid tumours, particularly in neuroendocrine, colorectal, pancreatic and gastric cancers.
A three-year sponsored research program was announced last month by Chimeric and the inventors to further the development and understanding of CDH17 (CHM 2101).
CDH17 is a useful diagnostic marker for adenocarcinomas of the digestive system.
In preclinical studies, tumours that expressed CDH17 were almost eradicated without causing any damage to healthy tissues, the clinical-stage cell therapy company said in a statement.
There was no toxicity observed in eight different in vivo models including colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer and neuroendocrine tumours.
CDH17 CAR-T cell constructs have been shown to be superior to 2nd-generation CAR-T cell constructs, demonstrating complete elimination of solid tumours in vivo, the company said, adding it provided a therapeutic window for CAR-T treatment of solid tumours since CDH17-specific CAR-T cells destroyed CDH17+ tumours, but not normal CDH17-expressing tissues such as small and large intestines.
The authors conclude that their study "indicates that CDH17 is an ideal target for CAR-T therapy for gastrointestinal cancers and neuroendocrine tumours" and that further clinical trials are warranted.
The findings published in the Nature Cancer journal demonstrate CHM 2101's potential as a novel CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumours, according to Chimeric's chief business officer and head of external innovation Eliot Bourk.
Chimeric is rapidly advancing CHM 2101 to first-in-human clinical studies, "with the hope of bringing cell therapy to patients with incurable GI cancers," said CHM chief executive and managing director Jennifer Chow.
By Amrita Ghaswalla