LARKSPUR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aulos Bioscience, an immuno-oncology company working to revolutionize cancer care through development of potentially best-in-class IL-2 therapeutics, today shared data and analyses used to determine dose selection for Phase 2 expansion cohorts in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its lead candidate, AU-007. The data and evaluations of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety and clinical efficacy were presented as a poster at the 36th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Barcelona, Spain.
The results continue to affirm AU-007’s unique profile among interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapeutics, showing regulatory T cell (Treg) reduction, and demonstrating that deeper drops in peripheral Treg counts were associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS) outcomes in patients from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 portions of the AU-007 trial, across a range of dose levels, tumor types and lines of therapy. Additionally, increases in interferon-gamma and effector T cells (Teffs) were observed with escalating subcutaneously administered aldesleukin (recombinant human IL-2) dose levels.
“These data point to a correlation between deeper reductions in Tregs and better clinical outcomes, which differentiates AU-007 from all other IL-2 therapeutics in development,” said Aron Knickerbocker, Aulos Bioscience’s president and chief executive officer. “We’re also excited about AU-007’s ability to increase Teffs and natural killer cells. These findings, combined with a mild and tolerable safety profile, further validate our belief in AU-007’s potential as a best-in-class IL-2 therapeutic for solid tumor cancers. We look forward to presenting new Phase 2 clinical efficacy and safety data, particularly in melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, later this year.”
Created by Biolojic Design, AU-007 is the first human IgG1 monoclonal antibody designed by leveraging artificial intelligence to enter a human clinical trial. The antibody’s novel mechanism of action is to bind precisely to IL-2 instead of IL-2 receptors. By binding only to the portion of IL-2 that binds to CD25, AU-007 prevents IL-2 from binding to high-affinity IL-2 receptors on Tregs, vasculature and eosinophils, and redirects IL-2 to medium-affinity receptors on Teffs and natural killer (NK) cells. This allows Teffs and NK cells to expand and kill tumor cells.
Safety data presented at the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium demonstrate manageable toxicity for AU-007 and low-dose, subcutaneous aldesleukin, with no vascular leak syndrome or pulmonary edema at all dose levels evaluated. Additionally, the AU-007 pharmacokinetic data show characteristics typical of an IgG1-LALA monoclonal antibody, with no evidence of neutralizing anti-drug antibody (ADA) activity and an approximate half-life of more than 15 days. No clear trends were observed in safety or efficacy data to determine if a single loading dose or multiple loading doses of aldesleukin would lead to better outcomes, and clinical investigation is ongoing in the Phase 2 dose expansion cohorts to determine the optimal dosing schedule.
Based on these results, researchers will evaluate dosing regimens of 9 mg/kg for AU-007 every two weeks (Q2W) and 135K IU/kg subcutaneous aldesleukin administered either on a single loading dose schedule or a Q2W multiple dose schedule in the Phase 2 expansion cohorts. The Phase 2 expansion portion of the trial is currently ongoing in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) evaluating these two dosing regimens.
The poster, “PB452: Determination of the phase 2 dose of AU-007, an AI-designed human monoclonal antibody that redirects IL-2 to T effector cells,” (Abstract 464) is available to meeting registrants as an electronic poster on the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium’s online platform. It will be presented live in the poster session “New therapies in immuno oncology” on Friday, October 25, 2024, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. CEST in the Exhibition Hall.
The poster presentation is also available on the Aulos Bioscience website in the Abstracts and Publications section.
To learn more about the AU-007 clinical trial program, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT05267626). For patients and providers in the U.S., please visit www.solidtumorstudy.com. For patients and health professionals in Australia, please visit www.solidtumourstudy.com.
About AU-007
AU-007 is a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody designed by leveraging artificial intelligence that is highly selective to the CD25-binding portion of IL-2. With a mechanism of action unlike any other IL-2 therapeutic in development, AU-007 redirects IL-2 to reinforce anti-tumor immune effects. This is achieved by preventing IL-2, either exogenous or secreted by effector T cells, from binding to trimeric receptors on regulatory T cells while still allowing IL-2 to bind and expand effector T cells and NK cells. This prevents the negative feedback loop caused by other IL-2-based treatments and biases the immune system toward activation over suppression. AU-007 also prevents IL-2 from binding to CD25-containing receptors on eosinophils, as well as vasculature and pulmonary endothelium, which may significantly reduce the vascular leak syndrome and pulmonary edema associated with high-dose IL-2 therapy.
About Aulos
Aulos Bioscience is an immuno-oncology company working to revolutionize cancer patient care through best-in-class IL-2 therapeutics that direct patients’ immune systems toward killing tumor cells. Matching world-class machine learning from co-founder Biolojic Design with an in-depth understanding of the immune system, Aulos’ initial clinical candidate, AU-007, is a human antibody designed by leveraging artificial intelligence that harnesses the power of IL-2 to induce tumor killing while limiting the immunosuppression and toxicities typically associated with this validated pathway. The company was founded by Biolojic Design and Apple Tree Partners (ATP) and is led by pioneers in the field of artificial intelligence, antibody development and cancer immunotherapies. For more information, visit www.aulosbio.com, X (@AulosBioscience) and LinkedIn.
