A few words on onCARlytics and where, as aprogram, it may travel ...
There have been many excellent posts recently around what our onCARlytics program is doing and where it was up too. Thank you to this wonderful group of posters.
I will add my thoughts, regarding onCARlytics, rather than look at the really ‘hot prospects’ which I believe will actually impact our bottom line, even before onCARlytics. These are of course azel-cel in nonHodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (a genius acquisition), the next data cut of the MAST study (this may well shake everyone up) and of course, our fast-track, Bile Duct trial using Vaxinia.
So, as other posters have eluded, we should learn an enormous amount about onCARlytics this year. Our trial is called OASIS, and it is looking to evaluate the safety and efficacy of onCARlytics via both intratumoural (IT) injection and intravenous (IV) infusion. This will be administered either alone or in combination with blinatumomab (better known as Blincyto). This trial is highlighted above in the red rectangles.
This trial is absolutely critical for IMU. The team will be hoping to see no serious adverse effects, because of what they have seen in the MAST trial with Vaxinia, and they already know exactly how blinatumomab behaves, because of the massive data it has generated over more than 10 years.
What our team will be looking for is whether CF33 - CD19 (onCARlytics) and blinatumomab (Blincyto) play nicely together, when administered in humans. Is it safe, are there any positive signals or efficacy, does this MoA suggest that onCARlytics may ‘play well’ with ‘real’ CAR-Ts. One poster has already noted that Blincyto is NOT a CAR-T, but rather a bispecific T-cell engager or (BiTE). This is indeed correct. Even though BiTEs have successfully stimulated the immune system to act against tumor cells, they are NOT CAR-Ts.
If all the science works according to plan (and IMU has a good track record in this area) then they will leap into an onCARlytics + azer-cel trial. This is noted above in the aqua oval shapes.
This is where they say, ‘the rubber hits the pavement’. If this little combo meets our expectations, we will have that paradigm shift in cancer treatment. With this treatment we will be looking at an ‘allo’ CAR-T, not and auto’ CAR-T, with the potential for greater efficacy and far better safety. This aspect has been discussed at length before by LC, PW and others. If an ‘allo’ treatment can beat the current issues of ‘auto’ treatments ie. lack of durability and of course the challenge of patient relapse, then we are ‘on the right horse’. IMU will actually hold all the IP, to all the ‘moving parts’. If BP was in ... there is only one company they can come and talk to ... IMU.
But that’s not all ... please note the purple oval above. It was this area that I was most excited about prior to our enormous acquisition of azer-cel. So, what is it?
It is the potential to combo with an invariant NaturalKiller T (iNKT) Cell Therapy Platform. We have already signed a collaboration with Arovella (ASX:ALA) to do just this, and we are currently in the pre-clinical stage. These iNKT cells will be an ‘off-the-shelf’ treatment, just like azer-cel. So, faster into the patient.
Only time will tell which path, or should I say paths, that IMU may take its onCARlytics program. Its potential is unlimited, and is one of the most exciting fields of medicine anyone can hope to witness. We are blessed to be along for the ride ... not to mention the opportunity to alleviate the suffering that cancer patients and their families are currently experiencing.
Note: All the opinion of one poster. Enjoy your weekend folks.
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