Indapta Therapeutics and Sanofi Partner on Multiple Myeloma Study

Indapta Therapeutics, Inc., a private clinical-stage biotechnology company, has announced a new collaboration with Sanofi. This partnership aims to explore the combination of Indapta’s allogeneic g-NK cell therapy, known as IDP-023, with Sanofi’s CD38-targeting monoclonal antibody, Sarclisa (isatuximab). The combined treatment is intended for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.

Indapta has decided to modify its ongoing Phase 1 study of IDP-023 to include a new cohort. This cohort will receive a combination of IDP-023 and Sarclisa, and the study will investigate up to three different dose levels of IDP-023 in this combination. Indapta will take on the responsibility of sponsoring the clinical trial, while Sanofi will provide the Sarclisa medication. Both companies will share the funding for the trial.

Preliminary results presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Meeting showed promising outcomes. In eight patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma, IDP-023, administered with or without interleukin-2, achieved an average maximum reduction in serum M-protein or light chain of 73%. This result appears to surpass outcomes from previous trials involving natural killer (NK) cells in treating myeloma.

Robert Sikorski, Chief Medical Officer of Indapta, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Sanofi, highlighting Sanofi's extensive experience in multiple myeloma and its range of products for hematologic malignancies and immunologic disorders. Sikorski emphasized the potential for a strong partnership and the benefits of Sanofi’s expertise in designing future studies.

Indapta’s g-NK Cell Therapy stands out due to its unique properties. The therapy involves a specific subset of naturally occurring NK cells, referred to as "g minus" NK cells or “g-NK” cells. These cells are generated through epigenetic changes following exposure to cytomegalovirus (CMV). For the production of IDP-023, Indapta focuses on expanding g-NK cells from healthy donors, minimizing variability between donors.

IDP-023 boasts several distinct mechanisms for targeting and destroying cells, without the need for genetic modifications. This includes highly effective antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), targeting HLA-E expressing cells via the NKG2C receptor, and leveraging the inherent antiviral properties of g-NK cells. Furthermore, g-NK cells can release significantly more immune-activating cytokines and cell-killing compounds compared to conventional NK cells.

In preclinical studies, IDP-023 demonstrated superior and longer-lasting antitumor activity when combined with cancer-targeting monoclonal antibodies, compared to traditional NK cells. Additionally, g-NK cells, when used in combination with a B cell-targeting antibody, can effectively deplete normal B cells from both healthy donors and patients with autoimmune diseases.

Indapta Therapeutics is dedicated to developing and commercializing a diverse array of cell therapies to address unmet medical needs in patients with blood and solid-tumor cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases. The company's proprietary platform of naturally occurring g-NK cells is engineered to deliver highly potent, accessible, and scalable cell therapies.