BALTIMORE and PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WindMIL Therapeutics, a clinical-stage company developing marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs
In this study, sets of matched CAR-MILs and CAR-PBLs were manufactured from the bone marrow and blood of multiple myeloma patients. When compared to CAR-PBLs, CAR-MILs demonstrated superior killing of tumor target cells in vitro. This superiority continued even upon repeated antigen encounters which could translate into better anti-tumor efficacy and persistence. Importantly, CAR-MILs demonstrated a greater degree of cytokine and chemokine secretion consistent with a more polyfunctional cytokine profile. Taken together, these are key criteria to enhancing the therapeutic benefit of CAR-T cells and underscore the marked differences between CAR-MILs and CAR-PBLs.To examine the in vivo efficacy, CAR-MILs and CAR-PBLs were evaluated in a humanized-murine multiple myeloma model. Superior clearance of tumor and T cell persistence were detected in both the bone marrow and spleens of mice treated with CAR-MILs as compared to CAR-PBLs.“Collectively, the data suggests that CAR-MILs have several advantages over CAR-PBLs,” said Kim Noonan, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at WindMIL Therapeutics. “Based on these differences and the inherent anti-tumor properties of MILs, we believe that CAR-MILs could be more potent and effective than currently approved CAR-T products derived from peripheral blood lymphocytes.” WindMIL is developing both unmodified and gene-modified forms of MILs. Unmodified MILs have already been shown to have a favorable safety profile and completed Phase 1 studies show promising efficacy with response correlated to MILs activity. CAR-MILs represent WindMIL’s initial efforts in developing gene-modified MILs.Don Hayden, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WindMIL, said, “Given the ongoing momentum in our research, we believe CAR-MILs will become an important treatment option for cancer patients. Additionally, we see it as a complementary approach to treatment with unmodified MILs where the company is already engaged in building a robust clinical data set in multiple tumor types, both solid and hematologic. These results futher underline the potential of MILs as a novel class of autologous cell therapies for cancer immunotherapy.”Details of the presentation are as follows:Title: Superior Efficacy of CAR-T Cells Using Marrow-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (MILsTM) As Compared to Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes (PBLs)
Abstract number: 4437
Session name: 703. Adoptive Immunotherapy: Mechanisms and New Approaches: Poster III
Date and time: Monday, December 9, 2019 at 6 – 8 p.m. ET
Location: Orange County Convention Center, Hall B, Level 2
Presenter: Eric Lutz, Ph.D., Director of Research, WindMIL TherapeuticsA copy of the abstract can be viewed online through the ASH website.About Marrow-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (MILs
Marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs
WindMIL Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company developing a novel class of autologous cell therapies based on marrow infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs
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