New findings showcase the potential of in vivo
CAR-M technology as an effective, off-the-shelf treatment for
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 8, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Carisma Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CARM)
("Carisma" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical
company focused on discovering and developing innovative
immunotherapies, today announced positive pre-clinical data on its
anti-GPC3 in vivo chimeric antigen receptor macrophage and
monocyte (together, "CAR-M") therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma
("HCC"), developed in collaboration with Moderna, Inc. (Nasdaq:
MRNA). The data demonstrated that the development candidate can
successfully create CAR-M directly in vivo, reprogramming
endogenous myeloid cells to target and destroy Glypican-3 ("GPC3"),
expressing cancer cells.
Pre-clinical results showed that the novel in vivo
anti-GPC3 CAR-M therapy exhibits specificity for the GPC3 tumor
antigen, driving potent dose-dependent cytotoxicity against GPC3+
tumor cells. Additionally, the CAR-M produced pro-inflammatory
cytokines and adopted an inflammatory, activated macrophage
phenotype upon antigen engagement. In both syngeneic and humanized
tumor models, systemic administration of anti-GPC3 CAR mRNA/LNP
significantly reduced tumor burden and suppressed metastasis to the
liver. The therapy was well tolerated in mouse models, highlighting
its potential as an off-the-shelf treatment for GPC3+ solid tumors,
including HCC.
"The data demonstrate our ability to generate anti-GPC3 CAR-M
cells directly in vivo using mRNA/LNP technology, leading to
significant tumor reduction in translationally relevant
pre-clinical models," said Michael
Klichinsky, PharmD, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific
Officer at Carisma. "This novel off-the-shelf approach offers a
promising new strategy for treating hepatocellular carcinoma, and
we are eager to advance it toward clinical development."
"These preclinical data highlights the successful application of
our mRNA/LNP platform in enabling in vivo cell therapy,"
said Lin Guey, PhD, CSO of Therapeutic Research Ventures,
Moderna. "We look forward to further advancing the anti-GPC3
in vivo CAR-M therapy for HCC patients and continuing our
collaboration with Carisma to bring innovative treatments to those
patients with solid tumors."
About Carisma Therapeutics
Carisma Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical
company focused on utilizing our proprietary macrophage and
monocyte cell engineering platform to develop transformative
immunotherapies to treat cancer and other serious diseases. We have
created a comprehensive, differentiated proprietary cell therapy
platform focused on engineered macrophages and monocytes, cells
that play a crucial role in both the innate and adaptive immune
response. Carisma is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please
visit www.carismatx.com.
Cautionary Note on 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, including, but not
limited to, anticipated discovery, preclinical and clinical
development activities for Carisma's product candidates, the
potential safety, efficacy, benefits and addressable market for
Carisma's product candidates, and clinical trial results for
Carisma's product candidates. All statements other than statements
of historical fact are statements that could be deemed
forward-looking statements. The words "believes," "anticipates,"
"estimates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "may," "could,"
"should," "potential," "likely," "projects," "continue," "will,"
"schedule," and "would" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These
forward-looking statements are predictions based on the Company's
current expectations and projections about future events and
various assumptions. Although Carisma believes that the
expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are
reasonable, Carisma cannot guarantee future events, results,
actions, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and the
timing and results of biotechnology development and potential
regulatory approval is inherently uncertain. Forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause
Carisma's actual activities or results to differ significantly from
those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including risks
and uncertainties related to Carisma's ability to advance its
product candidates, the receipt and timing of potential regulatory
designations, approvals and commercialization of product
candidates, clinical trial sites and our ability to enroll eligible
patients, supply chain and manufacturing facilities, Carisma's
ability to maintain and recognize the benefits of certain
designations received by product candidates, the timing and results
of preclinical and clinical trials, Carisma's ability to fund
development activities and achieve development goals, Carisma's
ability to protect intellectual property, and other risks and
uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in
Carisma's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2023, its Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents that Carisma files from
time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press
release, and Carisma undertakes no obligation to revise or update
any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date hereof, except as may be required by law.
Investors:
Shveta
Dighe
Head of Investor Relations
investors@carismatx.com
Media Contact:
Julia
Stern
(763) 350-5223
jstern@realchemistry.com
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SOURCE Carisma Therapeutics Inc.
