BOSTON, Oct. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNSE), an immunotherapy company focused on the discovery and development of next generation therapeutics for cancer, today announced it will present preclinical data for its anti-VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation) product candidate, SNS-101, during the 36th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) being held in Washington, D.C. from November 10 - 14, 2021. These data are the first preclinical data to be presented by Sensei Bio in a scientific forum from the company’s TMAb (Tumor Microenvironment Activated biologics) platform.
“Our TMAb technology has the potential to address the challenges of current immune checkpoint therapies by identifying antibodies that preferentially bind in the tumor microenvironment, providing the potential for an improved safety and clinical activity profile,” said Robert Pierce, M.D., chief scientific officer at Sensei Bio. “We believe SNS-101 has the potential to unleash potent anti-cancer immune responses through selective inhibition of VISTA, an important immune checkpoint regulator. The key to unlocking the power of the VISTA immune checkpoint is to select an antibody that binds VISTA at low pH in order to avoid target mediated drug disposition and on target/off-tissue side effects.”
Poster Presentation Details
Abstract #228: Antagonistic pH-selective VISTA antibody SNS-101 potentiates anti-PD-1/PD-L1-induced anti-tumor immunity
Poster Session Date & Time: Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET
Presenter: Edward van der Horst, Ph.D., Vice President, Preclinical Development at Sensei Biotherapeutics
About SNS-101
SNS-101 is a potent, pH-dependent fully human monoclonal antibody designed to block the interaction of VISTA, a novel immune checkpoint that is expressed primarily on myeloid cells, with its receptor, PSGL-1. Selectivity is achieved because SNS-101 targets VISTA only at the acidic pH of the tumor (pH~6), which is lower than the blood (pH 7.4) and may result in a favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profile. Blocking the interaction of VISTA with its receptor PSGL-1 activates T-cells and may result in tumor microenvironment selective activity of SNS-101. VISTA has been shown to play an important role in multiple tumor types, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
About Sensei Biotherapeutics
Sensei Biotherapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in discovery, development, and delivery of next generation immunotherapies with an initial focus on treatments for cancer. Sensei has developed two unique approaches – its TMAb™ (Tumor Microenvironment Activated biologics) platform, comprising unique human monoclonal antibodies and alpaca derived nanobodies that are selectively active in the tumor microenvironment, and its ImmunoPhage™ platform that leverages bacteriophage to fully engage the immune system. Using its TMAb platform, the company has developed SNS-101, an antibody-based therapeutic in lead generation targeting an immune checkpoint gene that inhibits anti-tumor immune responses called V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA). Using the ImmunoPhage platform, Sensei is developing a library of ImmunoPhage, called Phortress™, with multiple tumor-associated antigens to create a personalized, yet off-the-shelf cocktail approach for treating cancer patients. The platform is designed to enable efficient, scalable and cost-effective manufacturing to support all of Sensei’s clinical programs. SNS-401-NG is an ImmunoPhage cocktail in preclinical development for the treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma. For more information, please visit www.senseibio.com, and follow the company on Twitter @SenseiBio and LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as “believe”, “expect”, “may”, “plan”, “potential”, “will”, and similar expressions, and are based on Sensei’s current beliefs and expectations. These forward-looking statements include expectations regarding the development of Sensei’s product candidates and platforms, and the potential attributes and benefits of Sensei’s TMAb technology and SNS-101. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include uncertainties inherent in the development of therapeutic product candidates, such as preclinical discovery and development, conduct of clinical trials and related regulatory requirements, Sensei’s reliance on third parties over which it may not always have full control, and other risks and uncertainties that are described in Sensei’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 30, 2021 and Sensei’s other Periodic Reports filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to Sensei as of the date of this release, and Sensei assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor Contact:
Lora Pike
VP, Investor Relations and Communications
Sensei Biotherapeutics
lpike@senseibio.com
Media Contact:
Mike Beyer
Sam Brown Inc. Healthcare Communications
312-961-2502
mikebeyer@sambrown.com
