CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: TCRR), a clinical-stage cell therapy company with a pipeline of novel T cell therapies for patients suffering from cancer, today announced the e-poster presentation of new preclinical data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, taking place October 5-6, 2021. The e-poster titled “Expression of an IL-15 Receptor Fusion Protein Enhances the Persistence of TRuC-T Cells” highlights preclinical data on the Company’s proprietary mesothelin-directed T Cell Receptor Fusion Construct (TRuC®) T cells that express IL-15-based enhancements as a strategy for improving T cell persistence. The co-expression of these IL-15 enhancements enriched for naïve and central memory T cells, upregulated the stemness-associated transcription factor TCF-1 and increased TRuC-T cell proliferation upon repeated stimulation with mesothelin-expressing cancer cell lines. In addition, IL-15 promoted the survival of TRuC-T cells in the absence of T cell receptor (TCR) or exogenous cytokine stimulation. In a mesothelioma xenograft mouse model, IL-15 co-expression resulted in a higher number of TRuC-T cells in the tumor and significantly increased their persistence in peripheral blood. The administration of a single dose of IL-15 enhanced TRuC-T cells cleared tumors in all mice and fully protected them from tumor rechallenge.
“We are excited to announce preclinical data from our latest platform enhancement, TRuC-T cells expressing a membrane-bound IL-15. These preclinical in vitro and in vivo data support our belief that we can further design and optimize our TRuC-T cells to persist in the hostile tumor microenvironment and potentially increase persistence for improved efficacy against solid tumors where needed in certain cancer indications,” said Robert Hofmeister, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of TCR2 Therapeutics. “We continue to innovate for maximum patient benefit and look forward to discussing in-depth our overall enhancements strategy and broader pipeline, including allogeneic TRuCs, novel targets and TRuC Tregs, at our upcoming R&D Day on October 20.”
The e-poster and poster video presented at AACR are available in the Presentations section of the Investors page of the Company’s website at investors.tcr2.com.
About TCR2 Therapeutics
TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing a pipeline of novel T cell therapies for patients suffering from cancer. TCR2’s proprietary T cell receptor (TCR) Fusion Construct T cells (TRuC®-T cells) specifically recognize and kill cancer cells by harnessing signaling from the entire TCR, independent of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). In preclinical studies, TRuC-T cells have demonstrated superior anti-tumor activity compared to chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells), while secreting lower levels of cytokine release. The Company’s lead TRuC-T cell product candidate targeting solid tumors, gavocabtagene autoleucel (“gavo-cel”), is currently being studied in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial to treat patients with mesothelin-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ovarian cancer, malignant pleural/peritoneal mesothelioma, and cholangiocarcinoma. The Company’s lead TRuC-T cell product candidate targeting hematological malignancies, TC-110, is currently being studied in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial to treat patients with CD19-positive adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aALL) and with aggressive or indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). For more information about TCR2, please visit www.tcr2.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. The use of words such as "may," "will," "could", "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "seeks," "endeavor," "potential," "continue" or the negative of such words or other similar expressions can be used to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding the therapeutic potential of gavo-cel , timing of clinical data releases, future clinical development plans, the development of the Company’s TRuC-T cells, their potential characteristics, applications and clinical utility, and the potential therapeutic applications of the Company’s TRuC-T cell platform.
The expressed or implied forward-looking statements included in this press release are only predictions and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation: uncertainties inherent in clinical studies and in the availability and timing of data from ongoing clinical studies; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial; whether results from preclinical studies or earlier clinical studies will be predictive of the results of future trials; the expected timing of submissions for regulatory approval or review by governmental authorities, including review under accelerated approval processes; orphan drug designation eligibility; regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products; TCR2’s ability to maintain sufficient manufacturing capabilities to support its research, development and commercialization efforts, whether TCR2's cash resources will be sufficient to fund TCR2's foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TCR2’s ongoing operations; and other risks set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in TCR2’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although TCR2 believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur.
Moreover, except as required by law, neither TCR2 nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements included in this press release. Any forward-looking statement included in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it was made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Investor and Media Contact:
Carl Mauch
Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
TCR2 Therapeutics Inc.
(617) 949-5667
carl.mauch@tcr2.com
