Kineta Publishes Preclinical Data Demonstrating the Potential of Anti-VISTA Antibody KVA12123 as an Immunomodulatory Therapy for Cancer

2023-12-13

免疫疗法临床研究

VISTA Blocking KVA12123 Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Engineered to Provide Strong Single Agent Anti-Tumor Activity While Minimizing Cytokine Related Adverse Events KVA12123 recognizes a unique VISTA epitope and binds at neutral and acidic pH Data Supports KVA12123’s Potential as a Therapy Against Poorly Immunogenic Tumors SEATTLE, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies in oncology that address cancer immune resistance, announced today the peer-reviewed publication in Frontiers in Immunology of preclinical data highlighting the potential of KVA12123 as a new immunotherapy against poorly immunogenic tumors. The publication titled “A Highly Potent Anti-VISTA Antibody KVA12123 - A New Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor and a Promising Therapy Against Poorly Immunogenic Tumors”, reports on the development of KVA12123. “This scientific article summarizes the extensive characterization and selection of our clinical candidate KVA12123 that targets VISTA, a strong driver of immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment,” said Thierry Guillaudeux, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Kineta. “These data demonstrate that our engineered IgG1 anti-VISTA antibody binds to a unique epitope at neutral and acidic pH and has significant potential to address immuno-resistance in cancer patients.” Key results from the publication include: High affinity binding to VISTA through a unique epitope that is distinct from other clinical-stage anti-VISTA mAbs High specificity against VISTA with no cross-reactivity against other members of the B7 family Blockade of VISTA binding to all four of its respective ligands Ability to reverse T cell suppression by myeloid-derived suppressor cells, one of the main drivers of immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment Ability to induce T cell and NK-mediated monocyte activation Strong single-agent antitumor activity in several syngeneic tumor models and enhanced efficacy in combination with anti-PD-1 On-target induction of cytokines/chemokines associated with VISTA blockade Well tolerated in preclinical toxicology studies without antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity or induction of CRS-related cytokines “We are excited to share the discovery, characterization and preclinical development of KVA12123 in Frontiers in Immunology, a well-known journal in the field,” said Shawn Iadonato, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Kineta. “The publication highlights the differentiating potency and safety characteristics of KVA12123 that guided its advancement into clinical development. Our Phase 1/2 trial with KVA12123 as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors is on track, demonstrating early promising safety and biomarker results in the clinic.” KVA12123 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 VISTA-101 open-label clinical trial as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT05708950). Additional clinical efficacy data in the monotherapy arm and initial combination data with pembrolizumab are anticipated in Q2 2024. About Kineta Kineta (Nasdaq: KA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a mission to develop next-generation immunotherapies that transform patients’ lives. Kineta has leveraged its expertise in innate immunity and is focused on discovering and developing potentially differentiated immunotherapies that address the major challenges with current cancer therapy. The company’s immuno-oncology pipeline includes KVA12123, a novel VISTA blocking immunotherapy currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors, and a preclinical monoclonal antibody targeting CD27. For more information on Kineta, please visit , and follow Kineta on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation) is a negative immune checkpoint that suppresses T cell function in a variety of solid tumors. High VISTA expression in tumor correlates with poor survival in cancer patients and has been associated with a lack of response to other immune checkpoint inhibitors. Blocking VISTA induces an efficient polyfunctional immune response to address immunosuppression and drives anti-tumor responses. KVA12123 is a VISTA blocking immunotherapy in development as a twice weekly monoclonal antibody infusion drug being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for patients with advanced solid tumors. Competitive therapies targeting VISTA have demonstrated either poor monotherapy anti-tumor activity in preclinical models or induction of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in human clinical trials. Through the combination of unique epitope binding and an optimized IgG1 Fc region, KVA12123 demonstrates strong monotherapy tumor growth inhibition in preclinical models without evidence of CRS in clinical trial participants. KVA12123 has been shown to de-risk the VISTA target and provides a novel approach to address immune suppression in the TME with a mechanism of action that is differentiated and complementary with T cell focused therapies. KVA12123 may be an effective immunotherapy for many types of cancer including non-small cell lung (NSCLC), colorectal, renal cell carcinoma, head and neck, and ovarian cancer. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The use of words such as, but not limited to, “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “future,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “anticipate,” or “could” and other similar words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based on Kineta’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of Kineta’s business, future plans and strategies, clinical results and other future conditions. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. 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Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. Except as required by law, Kineta undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as result of new information, future events or otherwise. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Kineta, Inc. : Jacques Bouchy EVP Investor Relations & Business Development +1 206-378-0400 jbouchy@kineta.us Investor Relations: John Mullaly LifeSci Advisors, LLC jmullaly@lifesciadvisors.com Source: Kineta, Inc.