NantKwest Inc., a U.S.-based clinical-stage immunotherapy company, has reportedly announced encouraging safety data generated from the first six patients in its QUILT-3.064 clinical trial. The study is conducted to access the preliminary efficacy and safety of PD-L1.t-haNK cell therapy in patients who are suffering from metastatic or locally advanced solid tumors. 

PD-L1.t-haNK cells are allogeneic, human-derived, natural killer cell line developed to express CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) targeting PD-L1. It is developed to generate intracellular IL-2 for increased CD16-targeted antibody-reliant cellular cytotoxicity capabilities.

According to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Chairman and CEO of NantKwest, the dual targeting of PD-L1.t-haNK to both therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and PD-L1 expressing tumors could become a transformative treatment for advanced solid tumors with cell-based therapies.

PD-L1.t-haNK is an off-the-shelf, cryopreserved product that can quickly deliver therapy to patients in an outpatient setting. It prevents the extensive manufacturing delays related to autologous CAR-T therapies. 

Soon-Shiong added that their company is looking forward to reporting full study results from the Phase 1 cohort and are moving towards the recommended Phase 2 dose. NantKwest would advance its innovative cell therapies like PD-L1.t-haNK with ImmunityBio’s N-803, a IL-15 superagonist developed to stimulate proliferation and activation of NK cells to boost the potential of immunogenic cell death for treating cancer, said Soon-Shiong.

For the record, NantKwest and a fully owned subsidiary of ImmunityBio has collaborated to co-develop off-the-shelf NK platforms with N-803.

John Lee, M.D., Clinical Senior Vice President, NantKwest, states that the company is encouraged with the safety results of PD-L1.t-haNK in patients who are suffering from difficult to treat solid tumors. All six patients were able to be infused in the outpatient setting without showing immune-related adverse events or cytokine toxicities, said Lee. 

Moreover, the company’s approach is designed to overcome the limitations and challenges seen while treating solid tumors with CAR-T and other immunotherapy advances. It is also looking forward to progressing studies to advance this innovative new approach to cancer treatment.
 

Source Credit - https://nantkwest.com/nantkwest-announces-phase-1-results-for-first-in-human-pd-l1-tumor-targeted-natural-killer-cells-pd-l1-t-hank-in-patients-with-locally-advanced-or-metastatic-solid-cancers/