SANTA ANA, Calif., May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NKMax America, a biotechnology company harnessing the power of the body's immune system through the development of Natural Killer (NK) cell therapies, announced the publication of three abstracts in the ASCO Meeting Library — available in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and a poster presentation of one of the abstracts.
The 2020 ASCO Annual Meeting is a virtual event held May 29 – May 31, 2020 and represents the world’s largest gathering of oncology physicians, biotechnology executives, researchers, and investment analysts to discuss cutting-edge clinical research and therapeutics in oncology.
Abstract accepted for presentation:
Title: A randomized phase I/IIa study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SNK-01 (autologous non-genetically modified natural killer cells with enhanced cytotoxicity) plus Pembrolizumab in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer
Abstract Number: #3037
Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188811/abstract
Poster Session: Developmental Therapeutics – Immunotherapy
Presentation: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188811/video
Presented by Eo Jin Kim, M.D. (University of Ulsan and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea).
Highlights include:
- The combination of SNK-01 and Pembrolizumab was safe without any dose limiting toxicity or significant adverse events.
- Overall response rate (ORR) via RECIST 1.1 in the combination arm was 44% and significantly higher compared to Keytruda alone with an 8-month median progression free survival and a median overall survival that had not yet been met. Patients treated at the highest dose of NK cells had a 50% ORR.
- Of note is that among patients with PD-L1 expression 1 - 50%, the overall response rate in the combination group was 40%.
- Patients treated with the combination arm had no treatment related toxicity and better overall quality of life compared to 25% Grade 3-5 toxicity in the Keytruda alone arm.
Additional accepted abstracts include:
Title: Phase I study of SNK-01 (autologous non-genetically modified natural killer cells with enhanced cytotoxicity) in refractory metastatic solid tumors
Abstract Number: #e15024
Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/189214/abstract
Title: Natural killer cells and their activity as a potential biomarker for predicting response to checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer
Abstract Number: #e15559
Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188948/abstract
“We are very excited to share our data at ASCO and believe our robust clinical program is helping to establish the key role that NK cells play in checkpoint inhibitor therapy,” said Paul Song, M.D., NKMax Vice Chairman and Chief Medical Officer, “Our diagnostic work using our proprietary NK Vue test (which measures natural killer cell activity) strongly indicates that NK cell activity may be more predictive of response to checkpoint inhibitors than PD-L1 expression or microsatellite instability.”
Dr. Song also commented, “Our combination trial with Keytruda seems to validate this as the overall response rate among patients with 1 to 50% PDL1 expression was 40% when patients received both Keytruda and SNK-01. Equally promising is how SNK-01 appears to reduce the incidence of checkpoint inhibitor associated toxicity. We look forward to expanding on these results with our next set of clinical trials.”
About NKMax America
NKMax America Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to restoring and enhancing overall immune integrity. Our proprietary natural killer cell expansion and activation technology achieves infinite fold natural killer cell expansion with greatly enhanced cytotoxicity across its autologous, allogenic, and CAR-NK products which are all derived from peripheral blood. Our first in class autologous product, SNK-01, is currently in a Phase I clinical trial in advanced refractory solid tumors and in a Phase I/IIa combination trial with Keytruda in Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. The company and its commercially licensed cGMP facility are headquartered in Santa Ana, California, USA.
For more information on the company, please visit www.nkmaxamerica.com
Contact:
Denise Chua, MBA, CLS, MT (ASCP)
Vice President, Marketing
949-396-6830
dchua@nkmaxamerica.com