Fate Therapeutics Reports Positive Interim Data from its Phase 1 Study of FT516 in Combination with Rituximab for B-cell Lymphoma

3 of 4 Patients Evaluable for Efficacy in Dose Escalation Cohorts 2 and 3 Show Objective Response, with 2 Patients Achieving Complete Response

No Observed Events of Any Grade of Cytokine Release Syndrome, Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome, or Graft-vs-Host Disease

Six Doses of FT516 were Well-tolerated with No FT516-related Grade 3 or Greater Adverse Events Reported by Investigators

Management to Host Virtual Event Entitled “The Power of hnCD16” Today at 4:30 PM Eastern Time

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders, today announced positive interim data from the Company’s dose escalation Phase 1 study of FT516 in combination with rituximab for patients with relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma. FT516 is the Company’s universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell product candidate derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with a novel high-affinity, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which is designed to maximize antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells.

“We are highly encouraged by these Phase 1 data, which clearly demonstrate that off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived NK cells can drive complete responses for cancer patients and that our proprietary hnCD16 Fc receptor can effectively synergize with and enhance the mechanism of action of tumor-targeted antibodies,” said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. “Importantly, the safety profile of FT516 continues to suggest multiple doses of iPSC-derived NK cells can be administered in the outpatient setting, and supports potential use across multiple lines of therapy, including as part of early-line CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody regimens, for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma.”

As of a November 16, 2020 data cutoff, three patients in the second dose cohort of 90 million cells per dose and one patient in the third dose cohort of 300 million cells per dose were available for assessment of safety and efficacy. All four patients were heavily pre-treated, having received at least two prior rituximab-containing regimens. Each patient received two 30-day treatment cycles, with each cycle consisting of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide lympho-conditioning followed by three once-weekly doses of FT516, IL-2 cytokine support, and rituximab.