SEATTLE, Oct. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Umoja Biopharma, Inc., an immuno-oncology company pioneering off-the-shelf, integrated therapeutics that reprogram immune cells in vivo to treat patients with solid and hematologic malignancies, announced today that it will have three poster presentations at the 2022 Society for Immunotherapy for Cancer 37th Annual Meeting, to be held November 11-14, 2022 in Boston, Mass.
The presentations will highlight Umoja’s complementary cell therapy platforms for in vivo CAR T-cell therapeutics and RACR-induced cytotoxic lymphocytes (iCIL). Presentations include updates supporting the generation of in vivo antitumor CAR T cells and tumor targeting using the VivoVec™ and TumorTag™ platforms in addition to utilization of the synthetic receptor enabled differentiation (ShRED™) platform for the manufacturing of iPSC-derived iCILs for use in cancer immunotherapies.
Presentation details:
Presentation Title: In vivo generation of universal CAR T cells that mediate durable anti-tumor immunity through combinatorial targeting with bispecific small molecule adapters
Presenting Author: Kristen Mittelsteadt, Ph.D.
Poster Number: 375
Presentation Date, Time: Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Presentation Title: Synthetic Receptor Enabled Differentiation (ShRED), a novel platform for manufacturing of iPSC-derived cytotoxic innate lymphocytes for “off-the-shelf” cancer immunotherapies
Presenting Author: Samantha O’Hara, Ph.D.
Poster Number: 366
Presentation Date, Time: Friday, Nov. 11, 9:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Presentation Title: VivoVec lentiviral vector surface-engineered with T cell activating and co-stimulatory ligands enhance in vivo CAR T cell generation and antitumor activity
Presenting Author: Chris Nicolai, Ph.D.
Poster Number: 1230
Presentation Date, Time: Friday, Nov. 11, 9:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
About VivoVec™: In vivo Gene Delivery
VivoVec engineers patient T cells in vivo via surface-engineered lentivirus-mediated transduction using our proprietary 4th generation lentiviral vector technology. The VivoVec in vivo gene delivery system enables the patient’s body to generate a population of cancer fighting T cells, or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, which are also genetically retooled with the RACR/CAR systems. This off-the-shelf technology eliminates the complexity, delay and expense of externally manufactured cellular therapies. VivoVec can also be applied in an ex vivo manufacturing setting where a traditional CAR T therapeutic approach is more appropriate. To learn more about Umoja’s VivoVec platform please visit https://www.umoja-biopharma.com/our-science/.
About RACR™/CAR: In vivo Cell Programming
CAR T cells generated by the body with VivoVec can be expanded and sustained with the rapamycin activated cytokine receptor (RACR) system, an engineered signaling system designed to improve chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell persistence and produce durable anti-tumor responses. The RACR/CAR payload is integrated into the genomic DNA of a patient’s T cells. Rapamycin activates the RACR system resulting in preferential expansion and survival of cancer-fighting T cells. The RACR technology enables a patient’s cells to expand in a manner that resembles a natural immune response that does not require lymphodepletion, promoting durable T cell engraftment. RACR/CAR technology can also be used to enhance ex vivo manufacturing in support of more traditional autologous or allogeneic cell therapy manufacturing processes. To learn more about Umoja’s RACR platform please visit https://www.umoja-biopharma.com/our-science/.
About TumorTag™: Universal CAR Tumor Targeting
TumorTags are bispecific small molecules that consist of a moiety that selectively binds to tumor cells or immunosuppressive tumor stromal cells marking them for recognition and destruction by CAR T cells. TumorTags can be designed to have a tumor-binding moiety that is antigen-specific or antigen-independent, as needed, and multiple TumorTags could be combined as a cocktail to increase chances of labeling critical tumor elements. TumorTag is applicable to an array of cancer therapies and can be leveraged to use a universal CAR with ex vivo–manufactured cells (autologous or allogeneic) to increase targeting flexibility. To learn more about Umoja’s TumorTags and Universal TagCAR please visit https://www.umoja-biopharma.com/our-science/.
About iCIL™: RACR-Induced Cytotoxic Lymphocytes
The RACR-induced cytotoxic lymphocyte platform leverages Umoja’s RACR technology in a novel cell manufacturing process to generate synthetic cancer fighting cells from induced pluripotent stem cells at massive scale. These cells, termed induced cytotoxic innate lymphocytes or iCILs, can be administered to patients to augment their endogenous anti-tumor immune function, and to work together with VivoVec-generated in vivo CAR T-cells. Similar to VivoVec-generated CAR T-cells, iCILs leverage our RACR/CAR™ and TumorTag™ platforms respectively to support cell survival and target tumors and their stromal cells, potentially reducing adverse events and prolonging remissions for patients. To learn more about Umoja’s iCIL platform please visit https://www.umoja-biopharma.com/our-science/.
About Umoja Biopharma
Umoja Biopharma, Inc. is an early clinical-stage company advancing an entirely new approach to immunotherapy. Umoja Biopharma, Inc. is a transformative multi-platform immuno-oncology company founded with the goal of creating curative treatments for solid and hematological malignancies by reprogramming immune cells in vivo to target and fight cancer. Founded based on pioneering work performed at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Purdue University, Umoja’s novel approach is powered by integrated cellular immunotherapy technologies including the VivoVec in vivo delivery platform, the RACR/CAR in vivo cell expansion/control platform, and the TumorTag targeting platform. Designed from the ground up to work together, these platforms are being developed to create and harness a powerful immune response in the body to directly, safely, and controllably attack cancer. Umoja believes that its approach can provide broader access to the most advanced immunotherapies and enable more patients to live better, fuller lives. To learn more, visit http://umoja-biopharma.com/.
Media Contact:
Darren Opland, Ph.D.
LifeSci Communications
darren@lifescicomms.com
