Allogene Therapeutics and Arbor Biotechnologies Announce Global Gene Editing Licensing Agreement to Support Advancement of Next-Generation Allogeneic CAR T Platform in Autoimmune Disease

• Allogene’s AlloCAR T Autoimmune Disease Platform Leverages Arbor’s CRISPR Gene-Editing Technology
  
• First Allogeneic CAR T Phase 1 Clinical Trial in Autoimmune Disease Expected to Initiate in Early 2025

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T) products for cancer and autoimmune disease, and Arbor Biotechnologies, Inc. (“Arbor”), a biotechnology company discovering and developing the next generation of genetic medicines, today announced a non-exclusive, global gene editing licensing agreement for use of Arbor’s proprietary CRISPR gene-editing technology in Allogene’s next generation AlloCAR T platform for the treatment of autoimmune disease (AID).

“The potential for CAR T as a therapeutic option for autoimmune disease has captured the collective imagination of the scientific community,” said Zachary Roberts, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer of Allogene. “Accordingly, this excitement created a new field for CAR T that has become quickly crowded, making differentiation key for future success. This agreement provides us access to Arbor’s proprietary gene-editing technology and know-how, allowing us to develop what we believe will be the most effective and broadly accessible CAR T approach for the treatment of autoimmune disease.”

Allogene has applied its deep understanding of CAR T research and development to design next-generation allogeneic CAR T investigational products with a goal of reduced or chemotherapy-free conditioning that the Company believes can sustain the scale of the AID market while also meeting the unique requirements for these patients where they seek care. Allogene’s first AID AlloCAR T investigational product is expected to enter Phase 1 clinical trials in early 2025.

“Our strategy has long been to align ourselves with industry leaders who are working to harness the power of gene editing to change treatment paradigms and improve patient outcomes,” said Devyn Smith, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Arbor. “We look forward to our collaboration with Allogene as they leverage our extensive gene-editing technologies to develop novel, differentiated allogeneic CAR T therapeutics for autoimmune diseases.”