ImmPACT Bio to Present New Preclinical Data on CD19/CD20 Bispecific CAR-T Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

ImmPACT Bio USA Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in next-generation cellular therapies, has announced promising preclinical data for its novel treatment, IMPT-514, aimed at multiple sclerosis (MS). The new findings will be presented in a poster session at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting, held in Nashville, Tennessee from May 28 to June 1, 2024.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by damage from autoreactive immune cells. Traditional treatments like B-cell depletion through anti-CD20 therapies have shown some clinical success but are hampered by limited tissue penetration in the CNS. Recent studies have identified a subset of CD20-expressing T-cells as significant contributors to MS pathology. This insight has driven the development of IMPT-514, ImmPACT Bio's CD19/CD20 bispecific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. IMPT-514's dual-targeting approach aims to eliminate both antibody-secreting B-cells and pathogenic CD20+ T-cells, potentially offering significant therapeutic benefits for MS patients.

Dr. Sumant Ramachandra, CEO of ImmPACT Bio, emphasized the importance of this innovative therapy: "We are exploring the potential of our CAR T-cell therapy product candidate, IMPT-514, with its unique dual-targeting CAR design to ablate multiple potentially pathogenic autoimmune subsets. To our knowledge, IMPT-514 is the first and only CD19/CD20 CAR T-cell therapy in autoimmune diseases."

The presentation, titled "Manufacturing of CD19/CD20 Bispecific CAR T-Cell Therapy (IMPT-514) for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis," will be delivered by Ethan BenDavid from ImmPACT Bio. The poster session is scheduled for Thursday, May 30, 2024, from 5:15 to 7:15 PM ET at the Music City Center, Exhibit Hall AB.

IMPT-514 employs a bispecific CAR targeting CD19 and CD20, equipped with a 4-1BB costimulatory domain. This CAR construct is the same as that used in ImmPACT's IMPT-314, which is under development for aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Preclinical studies have shown that IMPT-514 can be reliably manufactured from patients with various autoimmune diseases, who have been heavily pre-treated with immunosuppressive agents. The studies also demonstrated the therapy's ability to eliminate autologous B-cells and produce a moderate cytokine response.

ImmPACT Bio USA, Inc. is at the forefront of developing cellular therapies designed to offer transformative benefits to patients. The company's CAR T-cell platforms, licensed from UCLA Technology Development Group, aim to deplete B cells, prevent antigen escape, and overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This technology is based on the groundbreaking work of UCLA scientists Yvonne Chen, Ph.D., and Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D.

The promising preclinical data and the innovative design of IMPT-514 highlight ImmPACT Bio's commitment to advancing cellular therapies for autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis. The upcoming presentation at the CMSC Annual Meeting offers an exciting opportunity to share these advancements with the broader medical community.