Chimeric Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:CHM) has entered into a sponsored research agreement (SRA) with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) to further advance its NK cell therapy portfolio.
The clinical-stage cell therapy company’s research program at CWRU will be led by Dr David Wald, inventor of the CORE NK technology.
Dr Wald is an Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, CWRU, a member of the Immune Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Associate Director for Basic Research, University Hospitals, Wesley Center for Immunotherapy.
The university will work closely with Chimeric to advance multiple next-generation NK cell products through preclinical development, including CHM 0301 (Next-Generation CORE-NK Platform), CHM 1301 (Chlorotoxin CAR NK), CHM 2301 (CDH17 CAR NK) and CHM 3301 (undisclosed CAR NK).
Chimeric’s NK cell therapy portfolio foundational asset, CHM 0201 (CORE NK platform) was invented and developed by Dr Wald at Case Western and was studied in a phase 1 clinical trial at Seidman Cancer Center in Ohio.
The outcomes were promising and published earlier this year.
All key endpoints of the study were achieved, including safety with no graft versus host disease, cell persistence and cell expansion.
Further to this, an encouraging efficacy signal was demonstrated, particularly in blood cancers where all patients achieved disease control and one patient achieved a complete response that was sustained through to 15 months at time of study publication.
Enhanced collaboration
“With the encouraging clinical data seen with CHM 0201 (CORE NK cell platform) we are very excited to be enhancing our collaboration with Dr Wald and his team at Case Western," Chimeric Therapeutics CEO and managing director Jennifer Chow said.
By building upon Dr Wald’s NK cell scientific experience and expertise we believe we will be able to advance NK cell therapies to benefit patients in multiple disease areas in the future.”
Under the SRA, Chimeric receives the exclusive option to license intellectual property created by CWRU as part of the sponsored research.
Chimeric Therapeutics CEO and MD Jennifer Chow, CMO Dr Jason B Litten and Dr David Wald will hold an investor webinar tomorrow, Thursday, November 3, 2022, at 9am.