CytoMed received a patent for CAR-Gamma Delta T cell technology
CytoMed Therapeutics Limited, a Singapore-based biopharma company focused on novel donor cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of various types of cancer, has announced that its CAR-gamma delta (CAR-γδ T-cell) T-cell technology, which has been licensed from A*STAR, has been licensed. granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The patents cover technology for clinical-scale expansion of γδ T cells from small amounts of donor peripheral blood cells as well as modification of extended γδ T cells to incorporate a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) enabling the modified cells to recognize a wide variety of cancers, including solid and hematological cancers.
CytoMed, a spinout of A*STAR, holds an exclusive worldwide license, for use in immunotherapy, including stem cell therapy, until the expiration of the patent-protected technology.
“We are pleased to announce that our allogeneic CAR-γδ T cell technology has received a US patent, especially as we will soon begin the first human trials for CAR-γδ T cells in Singapore,” said Peter Choo, chairman of CytoMed.
The CytoMed trial will start soon
CytoMed’s CAR-γδ T cell technology is currently under development as an investigative cancer therapy to target the NKG2D ligand, a stress-induced cancer antigen. The risk of “on-target-off-cancer” side effects can be reduced by targeting stress-induced antigens that are primarily expressed on cancer cells such as the NKG2D ligand.
The company received approval in January 2023 from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in Singapore to conduct a phase I clinical trial. This will be conducted at the National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore, and is expected to start in the second half of 2023.
“We are pleased that CytoMed Therapeutics is making progress in its efforts to provide immunotherapy to treat cancer. A*STAR works closely with industry to translate our research into clinical applications. Cancer is a devastating disease, and we believe that through CytoMed’s licensing of A*STAR’s CAR-γδ T-cell technology, more cancer treatments can be developed to benefit patients,” said Yeo Yee Chia, assistant chief executive of innovation and enterprise A* STAR. group.
Another company-licensed technology from A*STAR is an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) based technology to derive γδ NKT cells for cancer treatment. The patent for this proprietary technology has been granted in Japan, and this asset is currently in preclinical development.
