ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NeoImmuneTech, Inc. (KOSDAQ: 950220), a clinical-stage T cell-focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in the Phase 2a portion of a study evaluating NT-I7 (efineptakin alfa), a novel long-acting human interleukin-7 (IL-7), in combination with the PD-L1 targeting drug atezolizumab (Tecentriq®), in patients with advanced high-risk skin cancers including melanoma, merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).
All three of these skin cancers can grow rapidly and have the potential to be fatal if left untreated. While cSCC is considered a more treatable form of skin cancer, it affects millions of patients per year in the U.S. alone and represents up to 50% of all skin cancer cases. Melanoma and MCC are less common forms of skin cancer, but they are notable for spreading rapidly and carrying a high risk for recurrence. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., accounting for more diagnoses than all other cancers combined1.
“We are excited to move into the Phase 2 portion of this important clinical trial, now that the safety and tolerability of the combination has been demonstrated,” said Se Hwan Yang, Ph.D., President and CEO of NIT. “NT-I7’s established ability to amplify T cells coupled with its excellent safety profile gives us great confidence that combinations with checkpoint inhibitor therapies like atezolizumab could improve clinical outcomes. We look forward to watching this next phase of the trial unfold and potentially set the foundation for a new immunotherapeutic option for the many patients living with these forms of skin cancer.”
This open-label, multicenter Phase 2a study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and anti-tumor effect of the combination therapy. Roche will supply NeoImmuneTech with atezolizumab for the clinical trial. More information can be found at www.neoimmunetech.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT03901573.
Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) is a registered trademark of Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.
About NT-I7
NT-I7 (efineptakin alfa) is the only clinical-stage long-acting human IL-7, and is being developed for oncologic and immunologic indications, in which T cell amplification and enhanced functionality may provide clinical benefit. IL-7 is a fundamental cytokine for naïve and memory T cell development and for sustaining immune response to chronic antigens (as in cancer) or foreign antigens (as in infectious diseases). In clinical trials to date, NT-I7 has exhibited favorable PK/PD and safety profiles, both as a monotherapy and in combination with other anticancer treatments. NT-I7 is being studied in multiple clinical trials in solid tumors and as a vaccine adjuvant. Studies are being planned for testing in hematologic malignancies, additional solid tumors and other immunology-focused indications.
About NeoImmuneTech
NeoImmuneTech, Inc. (NIT) is a clinical-stage T cell-focused biopharmaceutical company, dedicated to expanding the horizon of immuno-oncology and enhancing immunity to infectious diseases. NIT is led by the scientific founder and inventor of NT-I7 (efineptakin alfa) and complemented by a strong executive team with rich industry experience at companies such as Novartis, BMS, GSK, Pfizer, Amgen, Eli Lilly, MedImmune/AstraZeneca and PwC. NIT is expanding rapidly in personnel and operations, as well as partnering with industry and academic leaders to investigate NT-I7 as monotherapy and in combination with various immunotherapeutics. For more information, please visit www.neoimmunetech.com.
Forward-looking Statements
The statements contained herein may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to NeoImmuneTech, Inc. (the “Company”) that are based on its beliefs and expectations about the future. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions about the future, some of which are beyond the Company’s control and are not a guarantee of future performance or developments. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise after the date of these documents. Accordingly, you should not place reliance on any forward-looking information or statements contained herein.
Some of the data contained in these documents were obtained from various external sources, and the Company has not independently verified such data. Accordingly, the Company makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of the data, and such data involves risks and uncertainties, and is subject to change based on various factors.
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1 Skin cancer facts & statistics. The Skin Cancer Foundation. (2021, August 10). Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts/
