Lyell Immunopharma Acquires ImmPACT Bio on Advance Next-Gen CAR T-cell Therapies
Friday, October 25, 2024
Lyell Immunopharma has entered a definitive agreement to acquire ImmPACT Bio.
Lyell aims to strengthen its clinical pipeline of next-generation CAR T-cell therapies through this acquisition.
This acquisition includes ImmPACT's lead programme, IMPT-314, a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy candidate targeting CD19 and CD20, which will continue to be developed by Lyell for the treatment of hematologic cancers, including large B-cell lymphoma.
Designed to improve efficacy over existing CD19 CAR T-cell therapies, IMPT-314 employs a dual-targeting CAR T-cell approach and enhanced persistence through enrichment of naïve and central memory T cells during manufacturing.
ImmPACT’s ongoing Phase 1-2 trial data and previous UCLA-sponsored Phase 1 study results suggest that IMPT-314 may improve complete response rates and response duration in CAR T-cell-naïve patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma.
This trial assesses the tolerability and efficacy of IMPT-314 in relapsed or refractory (R/R) aggressive B-cell lymphoma, and early findings from this programme are anticipated to be presented at a medical conference later this year. Lyell expects to launch a pivotal trial for IMPT-314 in 2025.
ImmPACT initially licensed IMPT-314 from UCLA. Recent data from a UCLA-led trial presented at the 2024 AACR Special Conference on Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy showed promising results: among 13 patients with R/R aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a 92% overall response rate was observed, with 77% achieving confirmed complete responses.
Safety data was reported as favourable. IMPT-314, now awarded Fast Track Designation by the US FDA, is being further explored for large B-cell lymphoma after two prior therapy lines.
To streamline its focus, Lyell has prioritised pipeline resources for its distinctive CAR T-cell programmes, including IMPT-314 and LYL119. Enhanced anti-exhaustion technology integrated into LYL119, such as c-Jun overexpression and NR4A3 knockout, has shown potential for improved efficacy at lower doses, as demonstrated in a preclinical lung cancer model.
Lyell plans to discontinue its LYL797 and LYL845 programmes, reallocating resources toward the LYL119 trial in ovarian and endometrial cancers and its longer-term CAR T-cell strategies.
The acquisition positions Lyell to expand its resources to support further clinical advancements. With its cash balance, Lyell anticipates funding operations through 2027, covering significant milestones such as the pivotal IMPT-314 trial expected in 2025.
Source: lyell.com
