GITR

None The confetti is still flying from Eli Lilly’s party celebrating the approval of Alzheimer’s disease therapy donanemab, but the company is yet again facing the harsh reality of the neurodegenerative disease with the failure of an early tau-targeting med.Lilly Chief Scientific Officer and President, Lilly Research Laboratories Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., said the O-GlcNAcase Inhibitor called LY3372689 failed on the primary endpoint of a phase 2 clinical trial recently. The therapy, which targets the OGA enzyme, did not spur a change in baseline to endpoint time in a rating scale of Alzheimer’s severity in either dose tested.“While this negative outcome was disappointing, we remain committed to tap as a high conviction target in Alzheimer's disease and plan to continue studying tau biology,” Skovronsky said, speaking on a second-quarter earnings call Thursday. The executive said the company is currently reviewing the data for presentation at an upcoming medical conference.LY3372689 was a key part of Lilly’s next wave of Alzheimer’s efforts. After getting donanemab approved in July, to be marketed as Kisunla, the company was hoping that tau would be the next front in the fight against the memory-robbing disease. Behind Kisunla, Lilly has remternetug in phase 3 development, which targets amyloid plaques in the brain. Positive allosteric modulator mevidalen is in phase 2 testing. The company also has two undisclosed neurodegeneration medicines in phase 1.Lilly also trimmed around the edges of other programs after getting some early data on a few candidates.They include LOXO-783, a highly mutant-selective, brain-penetrant, allosteric small molecule PI3Kα H1047R inhibitor that was acquired as part of the acquisition of Loxo Oncology. The drug was being investigated in a phase 1 study in patients with PIK3CA H1047R-mutant advanced breast cancer and other solid tumors.Lilly had taken LOXO-783 into the clinic on the basis of preclinical data showing activity without on-target wild-type PI3Kα mediated toxicity.“We evaluated the ongoing clinical data for the program and compared the molecule to next-generation candidates that we have progressed from our discovery efforts,” Skovronsky said on the call. “We believe our next molecules have greater potential benefits to patients.”Also on the discard pile is an unnamed NRG4 agonist. Neuregulin 4 acts locally on brown and white adipose tissue and works to protect against obesity-related inflammatory and hypoxic events. The Big Pharma had halted work on the asset as “the profile is insufficient for further clinical development,” Skovronsky explained. A GITR antagonist has also been removed from the phase 1 immunology pipeline “due to insufficient efficacy,” Skovronsky said. At the time of publication, Lilly had not confirmed to Fierce whether this was LY3461767, a GITR antagonist that was being evaluated in a phase 1 trial of the drug in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.Acadamic researchers have named glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), a co-stimulatory immune checkpoint protein, as playing a pivotal in cardiovascular disease. It’s also been suggested as a potential target to enhance immunotherapy, in particular immune checkpoint inhibitors.

License from University of Nebraska Medical Center covers multiple low dose interleukin-2 (ld IL-2) combinations, including ld IL-2 + Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF); New data, viewable here, illustrate that the combination of ld IL-2 + GM-CSF results in a 4-6 fold synergistic increase in Tregs; License expands on Coya’s multi-pathway approach in identifying and combining immunomodulatory drugs with COYA 301 (Coya’s proprietary ld IL-2) that have been shown to be synergistic to enhance Treg function and simultaneously lower inflammation HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coya Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: COYA) (“Coya” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing multiple therapeutic programs intended to enhance regulatory T cell (Treg) function, has expanded and strengthened its patent estate beyond COYA 302, which is a combination of COYA 301 with CTLA-4 Ig. This license with UNeMed Corporation (UNeMed), the Technology Transfer Office of University of Nebraska Medical Center, covers the combination of COYA 301 with GM-CSF and additional immune analogues and provides a next generation approach with a novel combination to synergistically modulate and reduce inflammation. UNeMed will receive payments upon achievement of certain milestones and will be eligible to receive tiered low single-digit royalty on net sales. “We believe that COYA 301 is ideally situated to serve as a backbone drug in combination with other biologics that synergistically modulate the immune system and represent next generation approaches to treating inflammatory disorders, which are driven by complex and multi-factorial pathways. Enhancing Treg activity with COYA 301 in combination with GM-CSF and additional immune analogues creates yet another novel biologic combination in addition to Coya’s lead asset, COYA 302 and expands optionality and potential partnerships,” stated Arun Swaminathan Ph.D., Chief Business Officer. GM-CSF is a potent immune modulator known to promote Treg activities and dampen pro-inflammatory T effector responses, and ld IL-2 is a cytokine that enhances Treg function and numbers. Preclinical data (here) generated by the Gendelman laboratory at UNeMed demonstrated that the combination of ld IL-2 + GM-CSF generated a synergistic increase in Tregs in mice tissue, including in peripheral blood, spleen, and lymphoid cells. This included a 4-to-6-fold higher expression of Tregs in mice treated with the combination compared to treatments with either cytokine alone. Other markers that indicate a suppressive Treg phenotype were dramatically increased as well, including a 4-fold increase in CD25+CD127low cells and a synergistic increase in the percentages of CD25+CD4+ Tregs that express CD39+, ICOS+ markers, and GITR+. Michael Dixon, Ph.D., President and CEO of UNeMed, noted, “This agreement with Coya can potentially bring new therapies to patients suffering from neurodegenerative conditions. Coya’s foundation and progress in low-dose IL-2 research makes them an ideal company to leverage our findings to date.” About UNeMed Corporation UNeMed Corporation is the technology transfer and commercialization office for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNeMed serves all UNMC researchers, faculty, and staff who develop new biomedical technology and inventions and strives to help bring those innovations to the marketplace. For more information, please visit , email unemed@unmc.edu, or call 402-559-2468. About COYA 302 COYA 302 is an investigational and proprietary biologic combination therapy with a dual immunomodulatory mechanism of action intended to enhance the anti-inflammatory function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and suppress the inflammation produced by activated monocytes and macrophages. COYA 302 is comprised of proprietary low dose interleukin-2 (LD IL-2) and CTLA-4 Ig and is being developed for subcutaneous administration for the treatment of patients with ALS. These mechanisms may have additive or synergistic effects. In February of 2023, Coya announced results from a proof-of-concept, open-label clinical study evaluating LD IL-2 and CTLA-4 Ig in a small cohort of patients with ALS conducted at the Houston Methodist Research Institute (Houston, Texas) by Stanley Appel, M.D., Jason Thonhoff, M.D., Ph.D., and David Beers, Ph.D. This study was the first-of-its-kind evaluating this dual-mechanism immunotherapy for the treatment of ALS. Patients in the study received investigational treatment for 48 consecutive weeks and were evaluated for safety and tolerability, Treg function, serum biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, and clinical functioning as measured by the ALSFRS-R scale. During the 48-week treatment period, the therapy was well tolerated. The most common adverse event was mild injection-site reactions. No patient discontinued the study, and no deaths or other serious adverse events were reported. Patients' disease progression was measured using the ALSFRS-R scale, a validated rating tool for monitoring the progression of disability in patients with ALS. The mean (±SD) ALSFRS-R scores at week 24 (33.75 ±3.3) and week 48 (32 ±7.8) after initiation of treatment were not statistically different compared to the ALSFRS-R score at baseline (33.5 ±5.9), suggesting significant amelioration in the progression of the disease over the 48-week treatment period. Treg suppressive function, expressed as percentage of inhibition of proinflammatory T cell proliferation, showed a statistically significant increase over the course of the treatment period and was significantly reduced at the end of the 8-week washout post-treatment period. Treg suppressive function at 24 weeks (79.9 ±9.6) and 48 weeks (89.5 ±4.1) were significantly higher compared to baseline (62.1 ±8.1) (p<0.01), suggesting enhanced and durable Treg suppressive function over the course of treatment. In contrast, Treg suppressive function (mean ±SD) was significantly decreased at the end of the 8-week washout period compared to end-of-treatment at week 48 (70.3 ±8.1 vs. 89.5 ±4.1, p <0.05). The study also evaluated serum biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxides. The available data up to 16 weeks after initiation of treatment suggest a decrease in these biomarker levels, which is consistent with the observed enhancement of Treg function. The evaluation of the full biomarker data is ongoing. COYA 302 is an investigational product not yet approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency. About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a rare neurological disease that affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. About 20,000 people live with ALS in the United States and approximately 5,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. The disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms get worse over time. The functional status of ALS patients declines about 1 point per month on average, as measured by the Revised ALS Function Rating Scale1, or ALSFRS-R, a validated tool to monitor the progression of the disease. ALS has no cure, and the currently approved drug treatments provide limited benefit to patients. ALS is a type of motor neuron disease. As motor neurons degenerate and die, they stop sending messages to the muscles, which causes the muscles to weaken, start to twitch (fasciculations), and waste away (atrophy). Eventually, the brain loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movements. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within three to five years from when the symptoms first appear.2 About Frontotemporal Dementia Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Many possible symptoms can result, including unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking. FTD is rare and tends to occur at a younger age than other forms of dementia. About 60% of people with FTD are 45 to 64 years old. FTD is progressive, meaning symptoms get worse over time. In the early stages, people may have just one symptom. As the disease progresses, other symptoms appear as more parts of the brain are affected. It is difficult to predict how long someone with FTD will live. Some people live more than 10 years after diagnosis, while others live less than two years after they are diagnosed. There is no cure for FTD, and no treatments slow or stop the progression of the disease.3 About Parkinson’s Disease Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. The most prominent manifestations of PD occur when nerve cells in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls movement, become impaired or die. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. They may also have mental and behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory difficulties, and fatigue. Most people with PD first develop the disease after age 60, but about 10% experience onset before the age of 50. There is no cure for PD and currently available treatments are intended to relieve some symptoms.4 References Atassi N, et al. The PRO-ACT database: design, initial analyses, and predictive features. Neurology, 2014;83:1719–1725. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000951. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Website ( ), accessed on January 8, 2024. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Website ( ), accessed on January 8, 2024. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Website ( ), accessed on January 8, 2024. About Coya Therapeutics, Inc. Headquartered in Houston, TX, Coya Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: COYA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing proprietary treatments focused on the biology and potential therapeutic advantages of regulatory T cells (“Tregs”) to target systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation. Dysfunctional Tregs underlie numerous conditions, including neurodegenerative, metabolic, and autoimmune diseases, and this cellular dysfunction may lead to sustained inflammation and oxidative stress resulting in lack of homeostasis of the immune system. Coya’s investigational product candidate pipeline leverages multiple therapeutic modalities aimed at restoring the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions of Tregs. Coya’s therapeutic platforms include Treg-enhancing biologics, Treg-derived exosomes, and autologous Treg cell therapy. Coya’s 300 Series product candidates, COYA 301 and COYA 302, are biologic therapies intended to enhance Treg function and expand Treg numbers. COYA 301 is a cytokine biologic for subcutaneous administration intended to enhance Treg function and expand Treg numbers in vivo. COYA 302 is a biologic combination for subcutaneous and/or intravenous administration intended to enhance Treg function while depleting T effector function and activated macrophages. These two mechanisms may be additive or synergistic in suppressing inflammation. For more information about Coya, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking” statements that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this presentation, including information concerning our current and future financial performance, business plans and objectives, current and future clinical and preclinical development activities, timing and success of our ongoing and planned clinical trials and related data, the timing of announcements, updates and results of our clinical trials and related data, our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval, the potential therapeutic benefits and economic value of our product candidates, competitive position, industry environment and potential market opportunities. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors including, but not limited to, those related to risks associated with the impact of COVID-19; the success, cost and timing of our product candidate development activities and ongoing and planned clinical trials; our plans to develop and commercialize targeted therapeutics; the progress of patient enrollment and dosing in our preclinical or clinical trials; the ability of our product candidates to achieve applicable endpoints in the clinical trials; the safety pro our product candidates; the potential for data from our clinical trials to support a marketing application, as well as the timing of these events; our ability to obtain funding for our operations; development and commercialization of our product candidates; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals; the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our product candidates; the size and growth potential of the markets for our product candidates, and our ability to serve those markets; our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; future agreements with third parties in connection with the commercialization of our product candidates; our expectations regarding our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection; our dependence on third party manufacturers; the success of competing therapies or products that are or may become available; our ability to attract and retain key scientific or management personnel; our ability to identify additional product candidates with significant commercial potential consistent with our commercial objectives; ; and our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks may emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed herein may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Although our management believes that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances described in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioAtla, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCAB), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of Conditionally Active Biologic (CAB) antibody therapeutics for the treatment of solid tumors, today announced it will host a virtual R&D Day on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM ET. To register, click here. The event will feature Omid Hamid, MD (Cedars Sinai: The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute), who will review Phase 1 dose escalation trial results for BA3071, a novel conditionally and reversibly active antibody targeting CTLA-4. BA3071 is in Phase 2 development as a potential therapeutic for multiple solid tumor indications known to be responsive to CTLA-4 treatment in combination with a PD-1 blocking agent. A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentation. About Omid Hamid, MD Omid Hamid, MD, is Chief, Translational Research and Immunotherapy, and Director, Melanoma Therapeutics at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute. As the Director of the Melanoma Center and Phase I Immuno-Oncology Program, Dr. Omid Hamid works to ensure that patients receive access to the most up-to-date therapeutics. Most recently, in his role with the Phase 1 Developmental Therapeutics Program, Dr. Hamid has been instrumental in bringing new therapies from the investigational lab to the clinic for patient benefit. These therapies involve Immuno-Oncologic therapies such as PD-1 inhibitors (Keytruda, Nivolumab, Atezolizumab) and other checkpoint inhibitors, therapies against tumor angiogenesis, and targeted agents that block internal processes in tumor cell’s function (BRAF/MEK). Dr. Hamid’s research focus involves manipulation of a patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells and maintain continuously elevated levels of immunity and discovery of novel therapies. His research began in melanoma and has now extended into paradigm shifting trials for all cancers. Dr. Hamid is recognized nationally and internationally as a key opinion leader in Immuno-Oncologic Drug Development and Melanoma Therapeutics. Through his role as the Chief of Immunotherapy and Translational Research, patients at The Angeles Clinic have benefited from first-in-class, paradigm shifting drugs. Dr. Hamid was an investigator in the initial trials with Ipilimumab, Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab, Atezolizumab and Vemurafenib, agents that led to significant survival benefits in the lives of patients. Through his leadership, the next phase of agents have become available to patients. He has been a key investigator on combinations of BRAF/MEK inhibitors and novel immune therapy with PD-1 antibodies, and continues to be at the forefront of drug development. His current work focuses on Next-Generation Checkpoint Inhibitors, including antiOX40, 41BB, and GITR antibodies, with a focus on bringing T-cell adoptive therapies and bispecific antibodies. Dr. Hamid has presented research done at The Angeles Clinic at major national and international meetings, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Society for Melanoma Research, and many other key national and international meetings. He has published manuscripts, abstracts, and reviews on immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and melanoma care in prestigious journals, such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and Clinical Cancer Research. About BA3071 BA3071 is a CAB anti-CTLA-4 antibody that is being developed as an immuno-oncology agent with the goal of delivering efficacy at least comparable to the approved anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, but with lower toxicities due to the CAB's tumor microenvironment-restricted activity. This is expected to enable safer anti-CTLA-4 antibody combination therapies, such as with anti-PD-1 antibody checkpoint inhibitors, and potentially broaden the patient population tolerant to combination therapy and deliver greater efficacy. Like our other CAB candidates, this Phase 2 clinical asset is designed to be conditionally and reversibly active in the tumor microenvironment. BA3071 is being developed as a potential therapeutic for multiple solid tumor indications that are known to be responsive to CTLA-4 treatment in combination with a PD-1 blocking agent. About BioAtla®, Inc. BioAtla is a global clinical-stage biotechnology company with operations in San Diego, California, and in Beijing, China through our contractual relationship with BioDuro-Sundia, a provider of preclinical development services. Utilizing its proprietary Conditionally Active Biologics (CAB) technology, BioAtla develops novel, reversibly active monoclonal and bispecific antibodies and other protein therapeutic product candidates. CAB product candidates are designed to have more selective targeting, greater efficacy with lower toxicity, and more cost-efficient and predictable manufacturing than traditional antibodies. BioAtla has extensive and worldwide patent coverage for its CAB technology and products with greater than 700 patents filed, more than 400 of which have been issued. Broad patent coverage in all major markets include methods of making, screening and manufacturing CAB product candidates in a wide range of formats and composition of matter coverage for specific products. BioAtla has two first-in-class CAB programs currently in Phase 2 clinical testing, mecbotamab vedotin, BA3011, a novel conditionally active AXL-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (CAB-AXL-ADC), and ozuriftamab vedotin, BA3021, a novel conditionally active ROR2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (CAB-ROR2-ADC). The Phase 2 stage CAB-CTLA-4 antibody, BA3071, is a novel CTLA-4 inhibitor designed to reduce systemic toxicity and potentially enable safer combination therapies with checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1 antibody. The company’s first bispecific T-cell engager antibody, BA3182, is currently in Phase 1 development. BA3182 targets EpCAM, which is highly and frequently expressed on many adenocarcinomas while engaging human CD3 expressing T-cells. To learn more about BioAtla, Inc. visit www.bioatla.com. Forward-looking statements Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding our business plans and prospects and whether our clinical trials will support registration; achievement of milestones; results, conduct, progress and timing of our research and development programs and clinical trials; expectations with respect to enrollment and dosing in our clinical trials, plans and expectations regarding future data updates, clinical trials, regulatory meetings and regulatory submissions; plans to form collaborations or other strategic partnerships for selected assets; the potential regulatory approval path for our product candidates; expectations about the sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents to fund planned operations, which includes plans to not explore additional dosing regimens, delaying certain pre-clinical development programs and to prioritize and focus development on selected assets and indications; and expected R&D and G&A expenses. Forward-looking statements are based on BioAtla's current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions, many of which are beyond our control, difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from what we expect. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, among others: potential delays in clinical and pre-clinical trials; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, or regulatory approval dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from the clinical studies or take favorable regulatory actions based on results from the clinical studies; our dependence on the success of our CAB technology platform; our ability to enroll patients in our ongoing and future clinical trials; the successful selection and prioritization of assets to focus development on selected product candidates and indications; our ability to form collaborations and partnerships with third parties and the success of such collaborations and partnerships; our reliance on third parties for the manufacture and supply of our product candidates for clinical trials; our reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical trials and some aspects of our research and preclinical testing; potential adverse impacts due to any resurgence of COVID-19 and its variants and those other risks and uncertainties described in the section titled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 23, 2023, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 11, 2023, August 1, 2023 and November 7, 2023 and our other reports as filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and BioAtla undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Internal Contact: Richard Waldron Chief Financial Officer BioAtla, Inc. rwaldron@bioatla.com858.356.8945 External Contact: Bruce MackleLifeSci Advisors, LLC bmackle@lifesciadvisors.com