Aussie biotech Prescient announces development programs for next-generation CAR-T therapy

Biotech News: Prescient Therapeutics, an Australian biotechnology company developing personalised medicines for cancer, announced its internal development programs for OmniCAR, a next-generation CAR-T therapy platform.

The company has a research partnership with the Melbourne-based Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to produce technology that can complement CAR T treatments.

OmniCAR is a universal immune receptor technology platform that offers a number of potential benefits over existing CAR-T therapies, including control, safety, flexibility and efficacy. With a platform technology with such a broad range of potential applications, it was important for Prescient to strategically select indications and applications for internal development that struck a balance between market opportunity, technical complexity and product differentiation.

Prescient is pleased to announce three internal programs representing significant market opportunities, where current-generation CAR-T have faced challenges, but where the unique capabilities of OmniCAR may present distinct advantages.

The development programs are:

1. OmniCAR CD33 and CLL-1 for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML);
2. OmniCAR Her2 for Her2+ solid tumours including breast, ovarian and gastric cancers; and
3. OmniCAR Her2 and EGFRviii for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Prescient Therapeutics Managing Director and CEO Steven Yatomi-Clarke said, “We are delighted to select these internal programs as truly differentiated, next-generation CAR-T products for Prescient. Each of the programs represent a tremendous market opportunity.”

“Furthermore, Prescient will continue to seek collaborations with external parties on additional opportunities where OmniCAR can create additional next-generation CAR therapies with partners.”

The application of OmniCAR technology in these cancers is expected to have benefits over conventional CAR T therapy, including: titration for improved safety; the ability to switch antigen targeting; co-arming CAR-T against multiple antigens simultaneously; persistent dosing and tumour microenvironment enhancements to improve efficacy.

The vigorous development program will move OmniCAR towards clinical programs while demonstrating the unique features of the technology in treating patients, which will add tremendous value to the OmniCAR platform.