EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immunome, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNM), a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics, announced today that its discovery engine has isolated potent antibodies capable of neutralizing several SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the South African Variant (B.1.351), in pseudovirus testing.
This effort is part of the company’s ongoing program to develop a cocktail of antibodies targeting spike and non-spike proteins that can serve as a prophylaxis or a treatment for COVID-19. Immunome’s COVID-19 antibody research demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 “super-responders” who recover from SARS-CoV-2 mount a robust immune response to a broad range of viral targets, including spike and non-spike proteins (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.27.428534v1).
As part of developing our antibody cocktail (IMM-BCP-001), Immunome has identified antibodies that bind to non-overlapping regions of the spike protein, including those regions containing the critical mutational variants. Immunome’s research shows that certain of our antibodies neutralize pseudoviruses expressing the spike protein of the South African Variant (B.1.351). Recent literature suggests that this South African Variant reduces the effectiveness of certain vaccines and antibody therapies (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.427948v1, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.428137v2).
Purnanand Sarma, PhD, CEO of Immunome, said, “Our findings underscore the power of Immunome’s discovery engine to quickly identify antibodies that are broadly effective against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Of note, Immunome’s discovery engine has identified antibodies that bind to conserved epitopes of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 spike, as well as to other non-spike targets. We believe that our comprehensive strategy could combat the negative impact of escape mutants. We are encouraged by these results and plan to continue development efforts on these antibodies.”
Jeffrey P Henderson, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and of Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and a member of Immunome’s COVID-19 Advisory Board, said, “Interrogating the overall immune responses in recovered COVID-19 patients allows Immunome to identify not only broadly neutralizing anti-spike antibodies but also promising non-spike antibodies that have the potential to enhance viral clearance. Broadly targeting multiple viral proteins in this way may provide alternative approaches to combat future SARS-CoV-2 variants.”
In July 2020, Immunome was awarded a $13.3 million technology award from the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), in collaboration with the Defense Health Agency, to support Immunome’s COVID program. The research discussed in this press release and the article is part of that program.
About Immunome
Immunome is a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its proprietary human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics that are designed to change the way diseases are treated. The company’s initial focus is on developing therapeutics to treat oncology and infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Immunome’s proprietary discovery engine identifies novel therapeutic antibodies and their targets by leveraging the highly educated components of the immune system, memory B cells, from patients whose bodies have learned to fight off their disease. For more information, please visit www.immunome.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and the article referenced within includes certain disclosures that contain “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding Immunome’s beliefs and expectations regarding the advancement of its oncology and COVID-19 therapeutic antibody programs, execution of its clinical and strategic plans, anticipated upcoming milestones for IMM-BCP-01 and IMM‐ONC‐01, including expectations regarding therapeutic potential and benefits thereof, and IND filings. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “anticipate,” believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “seek” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on Immunome’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, those risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Immunome’s business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, Immunome’s ability to execute on its strategy including with respect to the timing of its R&D efforts, IND filings, initiation of clinical studies and other anticipated milestones, the timing and effectiveness of any antibody therapeutics which may be developed by Immunome, Immunome’s ability to fund operations and the additional risks and uncertainties set forth more fully under the caption “Risk Factors” in Immunome’s final prospectus dated October 1, 2020 and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and elsewhere in Immunome’s filings and reports with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Immunome undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law.
