HaemaLogiX announces collaboration with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

HaemaLogiX and the Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy (CoE CIT) at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac) have finalised a research agreement on the preclinical assessment of anti-KMA CAR T cells using the lentiviral (LV)-KMA.CAR construct prepared by Singapore-based CellVec, for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

In collaboration with Dr Rosanne Dunn (HaemaLogiX), this project will be led by Prof Simon Harrison, Director of the CoE CIT, Lead Haematologist for Myeloma and Director of Clinical Apheresis, Peter Mac and A/Prof Jane Oliaro, Chief Scientist, CoE CIT Translation Laboratory. 

HaemaLogiX will supply the LV-KMA.CAR construct to the CoE CIT Translation Laboratory, and the company will fund a series of in vitro assays that the laboratory team will perform to assess the functional activity of the KMA.CAR T cells. 

Previously, HaemaLogiX used a non-viral vector and demonstrated that the KMA.CAR T cell was highly specific and was effective at killing myeloma cells that express the novel kappa myeloma antigen (KMA) on their cell surface (see Gowrishankar et al AACR poster, 2018).  

Following successful completion of these in vitro studies, the aim is for the Translation Laboratory to perform in vivo assessments of the KMA.CAR T cells against human multiple myeloma tumours in preclinical mouse models. Taken together, if these studies prove successful, the program will be assessed for clinical development via the CoE CIT Pilot Clinical Trial Program, with the aim to progress the KMA.CAR T cells into a Phase 1 clinical trial in multiple myeloma patients.

About the Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy: The Centre was made possible with significant investment and support from the Australian Government Department of Health, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation. Our vision is to fast-track the development of novel cellular immunotherapies (CAR T cell and otherwise), making them more readily available to patients in Australia and beyond. The CoE CIT has established an integrated preclinical (CoE CIT Translation Laboratory) and clinical research pipeline and has teamed with our manufacturing partner Cell Therapies Pty. Ltd. to rapidly translate innovative cell-based immunotherapy discoveries into the clinic while helping to secure and commercialise Australian IP. The Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is located in Melbourne, Australia.

About HaemaLogiX: HaemaLogiX is an immune-oncology development company researching immune-based treatments that target novel antigens on malignant B cells. The current CAR T cell therapy in development aims to target multiple myeloma, which is an incurable malignancy of bone marrow plasma cells. Treatment with currently approved monoclonal antibodies does not eliminate the myeloma tumor, hence relapses ultimately occur. The international patent application filed by HaemaLogiX in late 2016, “Kappa myeloma antigen chimeric antigen receptors and uses thereof” has been granted in Australia; the first region to grant this patent. HaemaLogiX is located in Sydney, Australia.