Fate Therapeutics Announces Initiation of Phase 1 Clinical Trial for FT825 / ONO-8250 in Patients with HER2-expressing Advanced Solid Tumors

iPSC-derived CAR T-cell Product Candidate Incorporates Seven Synthetic Controls of Cell Function including a Novel HER2-targeted Antigen Binding Domain

Phase 1 Study is Being Conducted in Collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders, today announced the initiation of enrollment for its Phase 1 clinical trial of FT825 / ONO-8250, a multiplexed-engineered, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product candidate targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The iPSC-derived CAR T-cell product candidate incorporates a novel HER2-targeted antigen binding domain and is designed to overcome unique challenges in treating solid tumors. The Phase 1 study of FT825 / ONO-8250 is being conducted under a strategic collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Ono).

“Since the formation of our partnership with Ono in 2018, we have worked closely together to pioneer the manufacture of CD8 alpha-beta T cells from iPSCs and to discover and integrate novel synthetic controls of cell function into our iPSC-derived CAR T-cell product platform for safe and effective treatment of solid tumors, including functional elements designed to promote cell trafficking, resist immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment, and preferentially target cancer cells,” said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. “The preclinical data for FT825 / ONO-8250 indicate a highly-differentiated therapeutic profile across a broad range of solid tumors, with the novel HER2-targeted antigen binding domain demonstrating selective targeting of cancer cells expressing HER2 including those with low expression. We are excited to initiate the Phase 1 study in collaboration with Ono and assess the potential to benefit patients with hard-to-treat advanced solid tumors who currently have limited treatment options.”

Designed using the Company’s iPSC Product Platform, FT825 / ONO-8250 incorporates seven novel synthetic controls of cell function including a CXCR2 receptor to promote cell trafficking, a chimeric TGFβ receptor to redirect immunosuppressive signals in the tumor microenvironment, and a high-affinity, non-cleavable CD16a receptor to enable antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Preclinical data of FT825 / ONO-8250 presented at the 2023 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Annual Meeting demonstrated that the profile of the novel HER2-targeted antigen binding domain is unique and differentiated from that of trastuzumab, exhibiting similar potency with greater specificity for cancer cells expressing HER2.