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At LAVA, we are focused on applying our expertise in gamma-delta T-cell engagers (TCEs) to transform cancer therapy. We refer to our compounds as gamma-delta bispecific T-cell engagers, or gamma-delta bsTCEs. Our platform generates therapeutics that specifically activate a unique and relatively abundant effector gamma-delta T-cell subset called Vγ9Vδ2 (Vgamma9-Vdelta2) T-cells that have the ability to trigger activity of immune cells of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Our gamma-delta bsTCEs have demonstrated superior efficacy and safety profiles compared to other bsTCE approaches in preclinical studies and show preferential activity against tumor cells thereby potentially limiting toxicity in healthy tissue. To date, we are the only company developing bispecific gamma-delta T-cell engaging antibodies for the treatment of cancer. We are building a pipeline of gamma-delta bsTCEs that have applications in both solid and hematologic malignancies. Our lead program, LAVA-051, targets the tumor specific antigen CD1d, which can be overexpressed in multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), among other tumor types. LAVA-051 will enter a Phase I/IIa study in 1Q21.
Gilson is a Middleton, WI-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
Harbor Biosciences, Inc. is a San Diego, CA-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
MEI Pharma (Nasdaq: MEIP) is a San Diego-based pharmaceutical company focused on leveraging its extensive development and oncology expertise to identify and advance new therapies for cancer. Our approach to building our pipeline is to license promising cancer agents and create value in programs through development and commercialization, or strategic partnerships, as appropriate. Our portfolio contains four clinical-stage drug candidates, including one candidate in an ongoing global registration trial and another candidate that is anticipated to advance into a registration trial this year. Our drug candidate pipeline includes: Pracinostat, an oral HDAC inhibitor that is in a Phase 3 pivotal study in combination with azacitidine for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Pracinostat is also being evaluated in a clinical study in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. Pracinostat is licensed to Helsinn Healthcare SA, a Swiss pharmaceutical corporation. ME-401, a selective oral inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (“PI3K”) delta. ME-401 is anticipated to progress into a single-agent registration study in 2018 for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Voruciclib, an orally administered and selective cyclin-dependent kinase (“CDK”) inhibitor differentiated by its potent in vitro inhibition of CDK9 in addition to CDK6, 4 and 1. Initiation of a Phase I dose-escalation study in patients with relapsed and/or refractory B-cell malignancies after failure of prior standard therapies is scheduled to being in the second calendar quarter of 2018. ME-344, a novel and tumor selective, isoflavone-derived mitochondrial inhibitor drug candidate, has demonstrated evidence of single-agent activity against refractory solid tumors in a Phase I study. In preclinical studies, tumor cells treated with ME-344 resulted in a rapid loss of ATP and cancer cell death. It is currently being evaluated in an investigator-initiated study in combination with the VEGF inhibitor bevacizumab (marketed as Avastin®) in patients with HER2 negative breast cancer.
Geneos is developing personalized immunotherapies against tumor specific neoantigens which arise from gene mutations in cancerous cells.