Upon closer examination of CHM's current Ph1B trial treating Bowel Cancer, there are more similarities than first thought (including the combination of SOC chemo drugs). It's interesting that IMU had to optimise Azer-cel to improve duration (and possibly improve efficacy) with the introduction of Interleukin-2.
CHM's Bowel Cancer trial is putting NK cells to the test with IL-2 to improve persistence of the NK cells in combination with SOC (chemo drugs) and a yet to be approved TGFbeta Inhibitor:Natural Killer (NK) Cells in Combination With Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFbeta) Receptor I Inhibitor Vactosertib in Cancer
Not only is the trial incorporating Interleukin-2 (known to increase duration of responses as demonstrated by IMU's trial in DBCL) but it opened around the same time last year as the Azercell trial. Could we possibly see a readout soon. Its something that's not shown on our most recent preso timeline.
Today's Imugene's news should bode well for Chimeric... but while the market is slow on the uptake, I'm sure this significant data does not fall on deaf ears within the biotech industry. CHM's trial is targeting a solid tumour.
CoreNK is a platform based on allogeneic delivery and relatively simple technology which could have wide applicability. What it suggests is that maybe small steps towards licensing and commercialisation is the way to go by trialing in combo with SOC.
