Allakos Presents Preclinical Data on AK007, a Siglec-10 Antagonist Antibody, at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s 37th Annual Meeting
11 November 2022 - 01:02AM
Allakos Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLK), a clinical-stage biotechnology company
developing therapeutics which target immunomodulatory receptors
present on immune effector cells involved in allergy, inflammatory
and proliferative diseases, today announced a poster presentation
at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 37th Annual
Meeting. The poster presentation highlights pre-clinical data
supporting Siglec-10 as a promising myeloid target for enhancing
anti-tumor immunity in solid tumors.
SITC Poster Details:
The poster titled “Antibody blockade of the immunoinhibitory
receptor Siglec-10 polarizes tumor-associated myeloid cells and
promotes anti-tumor immunity” will be presented on Friday, November
11th, key findings include:
- Siglec-10 is a myeloid inhibitory checkpoint receptor
selectively expressed on tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and
dendritic cells (DCs)
- Siglec-10 expression is upregulated in multiple solid cancers
and inversely correlates with patient survival in colon
adenocarcinoma
- Siglec-10 antagonist mAb monotherapy treatment inhibited tumor
growth in a syngeneic colon adenocarcinoma model in Siglec-10
transgenic mice
- Reduced tumor growth was associated with an expansion and
activation of TAMs, dendritic cells, and T lymphocytes in the
tumor, consistent with the mechanism of action
The poster is both available on the SITC website (Abstract ID:
1396) as well as the Allakos Scientific Presentations page.
About Siglec-10 and AK007
In proliferative diseases like cancer, blocking immune
inhibitory checkpoint receptors can restore the immune system’s
ability to identify and kill tumor cells. Therapeutics that target
T cell checkpoint receptors, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, or their
ligands, were the first to demonstrate meaningful anti-tumor
activity by blocking immune cell inhibition (i.e. removing the
brakes).
More recently, ‘don’t eat me’ signals, such as CD47 and CD24,
have been identified to be overexpressed in tumors and allow cancer
cells to avoid destruction by macrophages and other myeloid cells
of the innate immune system. Restoring myeloid cell function has
the potential to increase anti-tumor immunity by activating both
innate and adaptive immune cells. Strategies which target ‘don’t
eat me’ signals or their myeloid checkpoint receptors represent
attractive targets for the treatment of cancer.
Siglec-10 is a checkpoint receptor selectively expressed on
tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and dendritic cells (DCs).
Siglec-10 functions as an inhibitory receptor through interaction
with multiple ligands, including the ‘don’t eat me’ signal CD24 as
well as CD52 and VAP-1. Siglec-10 induces immunosuppression and
promotes tumor immune escape through interaction with CD24.
Similarly, CD52 has been shown to induce inhibition via Siglec-10,
indicating that Siglec-10 functions as an inhibitory receptor
through multiple ligands. Siglec-10 is elevated in multiple tumor
types and increased expression has been inversely correlated with
patient survival in multiple solid tumors, suggesting that
Siglec-10 may play a role in tumor evasion.
AK007 is a humanized Siglec-10 antagonist antibody designed to
block Siglec-10 interaction with all known ligands (CD24, CD52, and
VAP-1). By targeting Siglec-10, AK007 has the potential to reverse
myeloid suppression and promote anti-tumor immunity by directly
blocking the checkpoint receptor irrespective of individual ligand
interaction.
Allakos is currently conducting additional pre-clinical studies
with AK007.
About Allakos
Allakos is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing
therapeutics which target immunomodulatory receptors present on
immune effector cells involved in allergy, inflammatory and
proliferative diseases. Activating these immunomodulatory receptors
allows for the direct targeting of cells involved in disease
pathogenesis and, in the setting of allergy and inflammation, has
the potential to result in broad inhibition of inflammatory cells.
The Company’s most advanced antibodies are lirentelimab (AK002) and
AK006. Lirentelimab selectively targets both mast cells and
eosinophils, two types of white blood cells that are widely
distributed in the body and play a central role in the inflammatory
response. Inappropriately activated mast cells and eosinophils have
been identified as key drivers in a number of severe diseases
affecting the gastrointestinal tract, eyes, skin, lungs and other
organs. Allakos is developing lirentelimab for the treatment of
atopic dermatitis, chronic spontaneous urticaria and potentially
additional indications. Lirentelimab has received orphan drug
designations for eosinophilic gastritis (EG), eosinophilic
duodenitis (EoD), and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) from the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration. AK006 targets Siglec-6, an inhibitory
receptor expressed selectively on mast cells. In pre-clinical
research, AK006 appears to provide deeper mast cell inhibition than
lirentelimab and, in addition to its inhibitory activity, reduce
mast cell numbers. Allakos plans to begin human
clinical trials with AK006 in the first half of 2023.
AK007 targets Siglec-10, a key inhibitory myeloid checkpoint
receptor that is selectively expressed on tumor associated
macrophages (TAMs) and dendritic cells (DCs). In pre-clinical
research, AK007 polarizes tumor-associated myeloid cells and
promotes anti-tumor immunity. Allakos is currently conducting
pre-clinical studies with AK007. For more information, please visit
the Company's website at www.allakos.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, Allakos’ progress, business plans and areas of focus,
the potential of AK007, and the initiation of a first-in-human
study with AK006. Such statements are subject to numerous important
factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or
results to differ materially from current expectations and beliefs,
including but not limited to: Allakos’ stages of clinical drug
development; Allakos’ ability to timely initiate and complete
pre-clinical trials for AK007; Allakos’ ability to timely initiate
and complete clinical trials for lirentelimab and AK006; Allakos’
ability to obtain required regulatory approvals for its clinical
trials; uncertainties related to the enrollment of patients in its
clinical trials; Allakos’ ability to demonstrate sufficient safety
and efficacy of its product candidates in its clinical trials;
uncertainties related to the success of clinical trials, regardless
of the outcomes of pre-clinical testing or early-stage trials;
Allakos’ ability to obtain regulatory approvals to market its
product candidates; market acceptance of Allakos’ product
candidates; uncertainties related to the projections of the size of
patient populations suffering from the diseases Allakos is
targeting; Allakos’ ability to advance additional product
candidates beyond lirentelimab; Allakos’ ability to obtain
additional capital to finance its operations; general economic and
market conditions; and other risks. Information regarding the
foregoing and additional risks may be found in the section entitled
“Risk Factors” set forth in Allakos’ most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2022, Allakos’ Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 7, 2022, and
future reports to be filed with the SEC. These documents contain
and identify important factors that could cause the actual results
for Allakos to differ materially from those contained in Allakos’
forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements
contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof,
and Allakos specifically disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statement, except as required by law. These
forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as
representing Allakos’ views as of any date subsequent to the date
of this press release.
Investor Contact:Adam Tomasi, President and COOAlex Schwartz, VP
Strategic Finance and Investor Relationsir@allakos.com
Media Contact:Denise Powelldenise@redhousecomms.com
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