Imugene’s (ASX:IMU) HER-Vaxx & CF33 platforms showcased at ASCO GI 2023 - Kalkine Media

Highlights

• Imugene Limited’s HER-Vaxx and CF33 technologies being presented at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.
• At the event, Imugene got featured in three sessions, namely Oral Abstract Session, Trials in Progress Poster Session and Poster Sessions.
• In Oral Abstract Session, IMU was presented by Dr Tanuj Chawla.

A clinical-stage immuno-oncology company, Imugene Limited (ASX:IMU) today shared more details of its HER-Vaxx and CF33 technologies being featured at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

Imugene and its technologies were presented in three sessions at the event, namely Oral Abstract Session, Trials in Progress Poster Session and Poster Sessions.

Data source: IMU update; Image source: © 2023 Krish Capital Pty. Ltd.

Oral Abstract Session
During the session, Dr Tanuj Chawla presented some key conclusions, such as:

• A statistically significant 45% overall survival benefit was seen in HER-Vaxx (IMU-131) + chemotherapy over chemotherapy alone (14.0 vs 8.3 months).
• A longer duration of response was observed in HER-Vaxx + chemotherapy arm as compared to chemotherapy alone arm (30 vs 19 weeks)
• Vaccination with HER-Vaxx induced persistent HER-2 specific antibodies similar to clinical response as proof of concept for a first-in-class B Cell Immunotherapy based on HER-2 peptides
• When HER-Vaxx was administered in combination with chemotherapy, there was no additive toxicity.
• An alternative HER-Vaxx doses are being explored in single arm phase 2 extension study.
• Enrolment is in progress for the nextHERIZON clinical trial (NCT05311176)
  
  

Trials in Progress Poster Session
During this session, Imugene’s CMO Dr Giovanni Selvaggi showcased a poster introducing HER-Vaxx and its clinical programme, the study design, its purpose as well as eligibility criteria.

Poster sessions

1. During the poster session, “Development of a novel chimeric oncolytic viral platform, CF33 and its derivatives, for peritoneal-directed CF33-OV treatment of gastric cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis,” some key results were presented by Dr Annie Yang from City of Hope.

• In both diffuse and intestine subtypes of human GC cell lines, CF33-OVs infects and replicates in a dose dependent manner without attenuation caused by insertion of human transgenes
• Immunofluorescence imaging reflected virus-encoded hNISand anti-PD-L1 antibody expression in CF33-OV-infected GC cells
• CF33-OVs killed various GC cell lines in a dose dependent manner
• Flow cytometry confirmed GC cell surface PD-L1 blockade by virus-encoded anti-PD-L1
• In the xenograft model, CF33-hNIS-antiPDL1 (IP; 3x105pfu x 3 doses) significantly lowered peritoneal tumors (peritoneal tumors (p<0.0001), reduced ascites (62.5% PBS vs. 25% CF33-hNIS-antiPDL1) and prolonged animal survival (p<0.01). At day 91, 6/8 mice were alive in the virus-treated group vs.1/8 in the control group.
• As per the poster, CF33-OVs shows strong infection, replication, functional protein delivery and killing of GC in vitro. IP CF33-hNIS-antiPDL1 treatment increases survival of GCPM xenograft mouse models when compared to PBS controls.

2. During the poster session, “Ex vivo oncolytic and immune activity of CF33-hNIS-antiPDL1 against fresh peritoneal cells from patients with gastric cancer with and without peritoneal metastases,” important points were presented by Dr Yanghee Woo from City of Hope.

• Oncolytic CF33-hNIS-antiPDL1 virus is effective in infecting and killing fresh human peritoneal cancer cells of GCPM with expression of functional anti-PD-L1 scFv.
• Phase I trial analysing the safety and biologic activity of intraperitoneal CF33-hNIS-antiPDL1 to treat GC patients with peritoneal metastases is planned.

The 20th iteration of the annual ASCO GI event brings to fore the most recent developments and landmark achievements in gastrointestinal oncology. Over 4,000 scientific figures, oncologists, clinical researchers, academics, and medical practitioners from different parts of the world attend and participate in the event.

To download or view the presentation and posters, click here.

IMU shares were spotted trading at AU$0.160 per share at 11:12 AM AEDT today.