Immunocore announces first patient dosed in the Phase 1 trial of IMC-P115C, a half-life extended (HLE) ImmTAC candidate in patients with tumors that express PRAME
IMC-P115C (PRAME-HLE-A02) targets the same peptide and has the same CD3 effector and TCR specificity as brenetafusp, and is designed with extended half-life
The Phase 1 trial will assess the safety and clinical activity of IMC-P115C in HLA-A*02:01-positive patients with advanced solid tumors that express PRAME
(OXFORDSHIRE, England & CONSHOHOCKEN, Penn. & GAITHERSBURG, Md., US, 23 December 2024) Immunocore Holdings plc (Nasdaq: IMCR) (“Immunocore” or the “Company”), a commercial-stage biotechnology company pioneering and delivering transformative immunomodulating medicines to radically improve outcomes for patients with cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, today announces that the first patient has been dosed in the Phase 1 trial of IMC-P115C (PRAME-HLE-A02), which is a half-life extended ImmTAC candidate.
IMC-P115C was developed to improve patient convenience by reducing the frequency of treatment administration. It is Immunocore’s first half-life extended candidate, and sixth ImmTAC candidate to enter the clinic. IMC-P115C is a PRAME x CD3 ImmTAC bispecific protein, with the same CD3 and targeting the same HLA-A*02:01 PRAME (PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma) peptide as brenetafusp.
“I am very proud of the Immunocore team who have worked diligently with the clinical sites to start the Phase 1 trial with IMC-P115C – our half-life extended PRAME-targeted candidate,” said Mohammed Dar, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development and Chief Medical Officer of Immunocore. “With brenetafusp, we have the largest Phase 1/2 PRAME data set, which served as the basis for starting the first Phase 3 trial with a PRAME therapy. We look forward to the data from this Phase 1 trial, which will add to the understanding of the potential of our PRAME candidates.”
The Phase 1 dose escalation trial will evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and clinical activity of IMC-P115C in HLA-A*02:01-positive patients with a range of advanced cancers expressing PRAME.
About ImmTAC® molecules for cancer
Immunocore’s proprietary T cell receptor (TCR) technology generates a novel class of bispecific biologics called ImmTAC (Immune mobilizing monoclonal TCRs Against Cancer) molecules that are designed to redirect the immune system to recognize and kill cancerous cells. ImmTAC molecules are soluble TCRs engineered to recognize intracellular cancer antigens with ultra-high affinity and selectively kill these cancer cells via an anti-CD3 immune-activating effector function. Based on the demonstrated mechanism of T cell infiltration into human tumors, the ImmTAC mechanism of action holds the potential to treat hematologic and solid tumors, regardless of mutational burden or immune infiltration, including immune “cold” low mutation rate tumors.
About the IMC-P115C Phase 1 trial
IMC-P115C-1005 is a first-in-human, Phase 1 trial in patients with advanced solid tumors expressing PRAME. The dose escalation portion of the trial is designed to evaluate the safety, preliminary anti-tumor activity and pharmacokinetics of IMC-P115C, a bispecific protein built on Immunocore’s ImmTAC technology, and the Company’s first half-life extended molecule.
About Immunocore
Immunocore is a commercial-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a novel class of TCR bispecific immunotherapies called ImmTAX – Immune mobilizing monoclonal TCRs Against X disease – designed to treat a broad range of diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. Leveraging its proprietary, flexible, off-the-shelf ImmTAX platform, Immunocore is developing a deep pipeline in multiple therapeutic areas, including nine active clinical and pre-clinical programs in oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases. The Company’s most advanced oncology TCR therapeutic, KIMMTRAK, has been approved for the treatment of HLA-A*02:01-positive adult patients with unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma in the United States, European Union, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may”, “will”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Immunocore’s expectations regarding the design, progress, timing, enrollment, randomization, scope, expansion, funding, and results of its existing and planned clinical trials; including the Phase 1 trial of IMC-F106C-101; and the expected clinical benefits of IMC-P115C and the Company’s other product candidates. Any forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact of worsening macroeconomic conditions on the Company’s business, financial position, strategy and anticipated milestones, including Immunocore’s ability to conduct ongoing and planned clinical trials; Immunocore’s ability to obtain a clinical supply of current or future product candidates or commercial supply of KIMMTRAK or any future approved products, including as a result of health epidemics or pandemics, war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East or global geopolitical tension; Immunocore’s ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of its product candidates, including KIMMTRAK; Immunocore’s ability and plans in continuing to establish and expand a commercial infrastructure and to successfully launch, market and sell KIMMTRAK and any future approved products; Immunocore’s ability to successfully expand the approved indications for KIMMTRAK or obtain marketing approval for KIMMTRAK in additional geographies in the future; the delay of any current or planned clinical trials, whether due to patient enrollment delays or otherwise; Immunocore’s ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its product candidates and gain approval of its product candidates on a timely basis, if at all; competition with respect to market opportunities; unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical studies or clinical trials; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials or future regulatory approval; Immunocore’s need for and ability to obtain additional funding, on favorable terms or at all, including as a result of worsening macroeconomic conditions, including changes in inflation and interest rates and unfavorable general market conditions, and the impacts thereon of the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, and global geopolitical tension; Immunocore’s ability to obtain, maintain and enforce intellectual property protection for KIMMTRAK or any of its product candidates it or its collaborators are developing; and the success of Immunocore’s current and future collaborations, partnerships or licensing arrangements. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in the section titled "Risk Factors" in Immunocore’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Immunocore’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2024, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update this information, except as required by law.
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