Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation announced today that its trial of huMNC2-CAR44 T cells (NCT04020575) has now opened at City of Hope, Duarte, California.
The huMNC2-CAR44 therapy was developed by, and is proprietary to, Minerva Biotechnologies. The targeting head of the CAR, the antibody MNC2, recognizes a unique conformation of MUC1 after cleavage by a specific enzyme in the tumor microenvironment. “The ability of our antibody to bind specifically to the cancerous form of MUC1 without binding to MUC1 on normal tissues is a real breakthrough,” said Dr. Cynthia Bamdad, CEO of Minerva Biotechnologies.
“Demonstration of safety and early signs of efficacy of huMNC2-CAR44 represent a significant milestone for Minerva. We have a broad, deep pipeline that includes next generation CAR Ts, with enhanced in vivo persistence, and the ability to target cells with much lower antigen density, allowing us to challenge the persistence issues seen elsewhere in the field. We can now progress these to the clinic with increased confidence. We are also developing therapeutics that target the onco-embryonic growth factor, NME7, that activates the MUC1* growth factor receptor across many different types of solid tumors and the preclinical results are very encouraging,” said Minerva Chief Business Officer, Michael Crowther.
We would like to express our gratitude to our collaborators, our scientists, and the patients and their physicians for their support and participation in this trial.
About the trial
NCT04020575 is a first-in-human trial of huMNC2-CAR44, an autologous CAR T therapy targeting MUC1* in metastatic breast cancer in patients with MUC1* reactive tumors. For more information about the trial, including the study description, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and intake contact information, visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04020575 or contact Dr. Yuan Yuan 1-800-826-4673 or email Minerva18625@coh.org
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Contacts
Minerva:
Investor Inquiries – Ron Axelrod (617-785-9491)
Business Development – Michael Crowther (908-540-1751)
Source: Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation