Developing Natural Killer Cell Therapies for Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors

“We seek to bring the power of NK cells to fight tumors in 2 ways. First, we intend to activate the already existing natural killer cells in patients by strongly engaging them to focus on tumor targets. Secondly, we will provide a readily available source of non-exhausted NK cells and the potential to repeat dosing as needed. We look to develop these approaches in tandem and in combination.”

Natural killer (NK) cells are quickly making the move from a budding area of research to a promising class of treatments in oncologic indications. As their usage grows, so too does the emergence of companies that focus on NK cells, such as Cytovia Therapeutics.

The company is focused on targeting GPC3 solid tumors and CD38 hematologic malignancies and is exploring other targets including EGFR. They are developing 2 classes of therapies, namely chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified NK cells and multi-specific NK engagers. Target investigational new drug filing dates range from the first quarter of 2022 to the second hald of 2022.

GeneTherapyLive spoke with Daniel Teper, PharmD, MBA, cofounder and chief executive officer, and Stanley R. Frankel, MD, chief medical officer, Cytovia Therapeutics, to learn more about their NK cell technology and its potential in both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. They also discussed the importance of being able to manufacture scalable and modulatory products.