Allogene Therapeutics Presents Preclinical Findings Supporting an Allogeneic DLL3 CAR for Small Cell Lung Cancer and Development of an Inducible TurboCAR™ at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual 2020 Meeting
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) therapies for cancer, today announced that preclinical findings supporting DLL3-targeted AlloCAR T therapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and inducible TurboCAR™ (iTurboCAR™) technology were presented in poster sessions at the virtual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting.
“Our goal is to remain at the forefront of innovation in allogeneic cell therapy, and these studies inform our ability to optimize AlloCAR T therapy for both hematologic and solid tumors,” said Barbra Sasu, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Allogene. “The findings from these two presentations provide strong scientific rationale for both our AlloCAR and TurboCAR technologies – two key components of our advancing AlloCAR T platform.”
In research featured during the virtual meeting, genetically modified T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) were screened, characterized and ranked against targets using in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Highly active DLL3 CARs displaying long-term killing potential were engineered to contain a rituximab off-switch. Lead DLL3 candidates were tested in vivo and robust efficacy was observed in both subcutaneous and systemic models of SCLC. Additionally, while DLL3 RNA has normal tissue expression in the brain, pituitary and testis, toxicity studies using subcutaneous and intracranial tumor models showed no tissue damage in the brain or pituitary.
In a second poster, researchers presented data on a version of Allogene’s TurboCAR technology that allows cytokine activation signaling to be selectively controlled by a small-molecule on-switch. This iTurboCAR can be activated by a clinically validated dimerizer drug to improve the potency and persistence of CAR T cells. Results of this research indicated that iTurboCARs can be tailored for diverse, programmable and combinatorial signaling outputs. Further, iTurboCAR T cells may have the potential to provide the benefits of cytokine signaling while minimizing safety risks associated with concomitant cytokine therapy or constitutive cytokine secretion.
The AACR posters are now available at . Details are noted below.
Poster: #3239
Title: SMIC CAR T Cells: CAR T with Temporally-Controlled, Programmable Cytokine Signaling Outputs
Virtual Poster Session Date & Time: Adoptive Cell Therapy 3, Monday, June 22, 2020 at 9 a.m. ET
Poster: #6599
Title: Screening and Characterization of AlloCAR T Targeting DLL3 for the Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer
Virtual Poster Date & Time: Adoptive Cell Therapy 5, Monday, June 22, 2020 at 9 a.m. ET
Allogene’s AlloCAR T programs utilize Cellectis technologies, under which Allogene is exclusively licensed from Cellectis. Allogene holds global development and commercial rights for investigational candidates targeting DDL3.
About Allogene Therapeutics
Allogene Therapeutics, with headquarters in South San Francisco, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (AlloCAR T™) therapies for cancer. Led by a management team with significant experience in cell therapy, Allogene is developing a pipeline of “off-the-shelf” CAR T cell therapy candidates with the goal of delivering readily available cell therapy on-demand, more reliably, and at greater scale to more patients. For more information, please visit , and follow @AllogeneTx on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "proposed," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the ability to further research and develop an anti-DLL3 AlloCAR T therapy, the potential benefits of an anti-DLL3 AlloCAR T therapy, the ability to further research and develop any TurboCAR or iTurboCAR therapy, the potential benefits of any TurboCARs or iTurboCAR therapy, the ability to manufacture an AlloCAR T, TurboCAR or iTurboCAR therapy, the ability to develop allogeneic CAR T therapies for cancer and the potential benefits of AlloCAR T therapy. Various factors may cause differences between Allogene’s expectations and actual results as discussed in greater detail in Allogene’s filings with the SEC, including without limitation in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Allogene assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
AlloCAR T™ and TurboCAR T™ and iTurboCAR™ are trademarks of Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.
Allogene Media/Investor Contact:
Christine Cassiano
Chief Communications Officer
(714) 552-0326
