Shanghai, Suzhou, Chengdu, China, October 25, 2024 — Immunofoco Biotech, a company dedicated to developing cell therapy products for solid tumors, unveiled groundbreaking progress on its T-Booster dendritic cell (DC) vaccine platform at the 2024 European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) Annual Congress. This marks a significant milestone in enhancing the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors.
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy faces challenges in treating solid tumors, particularly due to poor tumor infiltration and inadequate expansion. At the ESGCT Congress, Immunofoco Biotech presented data highlighting the synergistic effects of the T-Booster vaccine platform when combined with CAR-T cell therapy. Preliminary experiments targeting Claudin18.2 (CLDN18.2) with both T-Booster and CAR-T cells demonstrated that T-Booster significantly enhanced CAR-T cell activation, proliferation, and cytotoxicity in vitro.
Further in vivo studies using both conventional and large-refractory gastric cancer xenograft models have proven that the combination of T-Booster with CAR-T cell therapy can lead to complete tumor regression and extended survival without causing additional toxicity. Mechanistic studies revealed that the modified DC cells preferentially homed to the tumor site, creating a microenvironment rich in cytokines and chemokines that attract CAR-T cells.
Moreover, CAR-T cells stimulated by T-Booster showed reduced exhaustion markers and increased markers for T cell activation, memory formation, and resistance to apoptosis. The expression of EpCAM by T-Booster further enhanced the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of EpCAM-targeting CAR-T cells, highlighting its potential as a platform technology for various tumor-associated antigens (TAA).
Dr. Sun Minmin, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Immunofoco, said, "We are delighted to present the latest advancements of our DC vaccine platform, T-Booster, at the ESGCT Congress. In addition to T-Booster, we have developed other technology platforms such as Peri Cruiser® and SNR, aimed at enhancing the safety and effectiveness of CAR-T therapies and more effectively addressing the heterogeneity of tumors. This milestone underscores our commitment to discovering more effective and safer treatments for patients with solid tumors. We look forward to continuing to share our scientific progress with peers worldwide and explore future collaboration opportunities."
About Immunofoco
Immunofoco has pioneered a clinical strategy focused on "curing the solid tumors by treating them as hematologic malignancies", addressing the challenges in solid tumor treatment, and the clinical advantages of treating hematologic malignancies. To improve the safety of CAR-T products, counteract tumor heterogeneity, and to enhance their effectiveness in tumor amplification and infiltration, we have developed innovative platforms such as Peri Cruiser®, SNR, and T-Booster. Driven by the clinical outcomes, our company maintains an extensive spectrum of product pipeline. Notably, our IMC002 (CLDN18.2 CAR-T) product obtained gastric ODD and pancreatic ODD from the U.S. FDA, and its IND application has been approved in both the U.S. and China in April 2023. Similarly, our IMC001 (EpCAM CAR-T) product obtained ODD from the U.S. FDA in August 2023, and its IND application has been approved in both the U.S. and China in February 2024. The IMC008 (SNR CAR-T) product has rapidly moved to the IIT stage and received two ODD approval from the U.S. FDA in August 2023, for the treatment of gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer, respectively. Embodying the ethos of "collaboration, aspiration, and dedication for the best clinical results," our company brings together industry talents and experts to develop innovative cell therapies that offer enduring survival benefits for patients with solid tumors. For further details about Immunofoco, please visit our website at www.immunofoco.com.