First Data for ImmunityBio’s Memory Cytokine-Enriched NK Cells in Small Cell Lung Cancer at SITC Meeting Show Promising Anti-tumor Activity - Seite 2

“These results are further evidence of the potential of M-ceNK therapy as a new immunotherapy approach for treating cancers that do not respond to immune checkpoint blockade, the current standard of care,” said Patrick Soon-Shiong, M.D., Executive Chairman and Global Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at ImmunityBio. “We are encouraged by the data coming out of this study and we look forward to assessing the potential for M-ceNK therapy in other tumor types.”

About M-ceNK

Memory-like cytokine-enhanced natural killer (M-ceNK cells are a unique set of white blood cells (lymphocytes) that are first collected from individual patients (autologous cells) then differentiated into the specialized NK cells with enhanced anti-cancer function by brief pre-activation with interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-15, and IL-18. These cells are characterized by their unique cell-surface marker profile and enhanced responses to cytokine re-stimulation that include increased IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity against leukemic cell lines. They are called ‘memory-like’ due to their highly desirable feature of immune-memory, reflected by their persistence and pronounced anti-cancer activity observed in clinical studies for weeks to months in duration (reviewed in Berrien-Elliott et al., 2023). Through the application of ImmunityBio’s proprietary GMP-in-a-Box bioreactors and cytokines, the company has not only developed a new method that yields multiple doses from a single lymphocyte collection, but also a method to generate M-ceNK cells from cord blood (allogeneic) so that collection from the patient may not be necessary. The company has also found that the efficacy of M-ceNK cells can be further amplified by the IL-15 superagonist N-803. Because the generated M-ceNK cells are stored using our optimized cryopreservation protocol, they have maximum shelf-life and potency upon recovery, a necessity for any off-the-shelf product.

The safety and preliminary efficacy of M-ceNK cells in locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors are currently being assessed in the Phase 1 clinical trial, QUILT-3.076, which is actively enrolling patients at this time (NCT04898543).

M-ceNK cells and N-803 are investigational. Safety and efficacy of these investigational agents have not been established by any Health Authority or Agency, including the FDA.

About ImmunityBio

ImmunityBio is a vertically-integrated, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies and vaccines that bolster the natural immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases. The company’s range of immunotherapy and cell therapy platforms, alone and together, act to drive and sustain an immune response with the goal of creating durable and safe protection against disease. We are applying our science and platforms to treating cancers, including the development of potential cancer vaccines, as well as developing immunotherapies and cell therapies that we believe sharply reduce or eliminate the need for standard high-dose chemotherapy. These platforms and their associated product candidates are designed to be more effective, accessible, and easily administered than current standards of care in oncology and infectious diseases.