FT596+R Enrollment Ongoing in Three-dose Escalation Cohort for R/R BCL; Activating Community Sites for Investigation of FT596+R-CHOP in Newly-diagnosed Patients with Aggressive BCL
Positive Feedback Received from FDA under FT516 RMAT Designation for Derivation of Clonal Engineered Master iPSC Bank and for Potential Registrational Study Design
Preclinical Data of FT555 GPRC5D-targeted CAR NK Cell Product Candidate for R/R MM under Janssen Collaboration to be Presented at ASH; Commercial Option Exercised by Janssen for Additional Product Candidate Targeting Undisclosed Hematologic Malignancy Antigen
14 Abstracts Selected for Presentation at ASH, including Interim Phase 1 Dose-escalation Data of FT576 for R/R MM and of FT819 for R/R BCL
12 Abstracts Selected for Presentation at SITC, including Interim Phase 1 Dose-escalation Data of FT536 and FT538 for Advanced Solid Tumors
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for patients with cancer, today reported business highlights and financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022.
“We are very pleased with the positive feedback from the FDA under our FT516 RMAT designation in support of our iPSC product platform and potential registrational pathways for the treatment of relapsed / refractory aggressive lymphomas, including for patients who have previously failed CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy, and we look forward to engaging the FDA in the fourth quarter to discuss CMC topics in support of pivotal trial readiness,” said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. “We are also excited to present interim Phase 1 clinical data at the upcoming SITC and ASH conferences, including for our iPSC-derived CAR NK cell programs FT576 in multiple myeloma and FT536 in solid tumors as well as for the first-ever iPSC-derived CAR T-cell program FT819 in B-cell lymphoma. Finally, under our collaboration with Janssen, we are pleased to announce our first IND candidate FT555, a multiplexed-engineered, iPSC-derived CAR NK cell targeting GPRC5D for multiple myeloma, and that Janssen has also exercised its commercial option to an additional product candidate targeting an undisclosed hematologic malignancy antigen.”
B-cell Malignancy Disease Franchise
Multiple Myeloma Franchise
AML Disease Franchise
Solid Tumor Franchise
Janssen Collaboration Highlights
Third Quarter 2022 Financial Results
Today's Conference Call and Webcast
The Company will conduct a conference call today, Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. ET to review financial and operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2022. In order to participate in the conference call, please register using the conference link here. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors section of the Company's website at www.fatetherapeutics.com. The archived webcast will be available on the Company's website beginning approximately two hours after the event.
About Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC Product Platform
The Company’s proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform enables mass production of off-the-shelf, engineered, homogeneous cell products that are designed to be administered with multiple doses to deliver more effective pharmacologic activity, including in combination with other cancer treatments. Human iPSCs possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Company’s first-of-kind approach involves engineering human iPSCs in a one-time genetic modification event and selecting a single engineered iPSC for maintenance as a clonal master iPSC line. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, clonal master iPSC lines are a renewable source for manufacturing cell therapy products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be mass produced at significant scale in a cost-effective manner, and can be delivered off-the-shelf for patient treatment. As a result, the Company’s platform is uniquely designed to overcome numerous limitations associated with the production of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells, which is logistically complex and expensive and is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 350 issued patents and 150 pending patent applications.
About FT516
FT516 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered to express a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies. CD16 mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells. ADCC is dependent on NK cells maintaining stable and effective expression of CD16, which has been shown to undergo considerable down-regulation in cancer patients. In addition, CD16 occurs in two variants, 158V or 158F, that elicit high or low binding affinity, respectively, to the Fc domain of therapeutic antibodies. Numerous clinical studies with FDA-approved tumor-targeting antibodies, including rituximab, trastuzumab and cetuximab, have demonstrated that patients homozygous for the 158V variant, which is present in only about 15% of patients, have improved clinical outcomes. FT516 is being investigated in a multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial as a monotherapy for the treatment of relapsed / refractory acute myeloid leukemia and in combination with CD20-targeted monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma (NCT04023071).
About FT596
FT596 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with three anti-tumor functional modalities: a proprietary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) optimized for NK cell biology that targets B-cell antigen CD19; a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies; and an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) that augments NK cell activity. In preclinical studies of FT596, the Company has demonstrated that dual activation of the CAR19 and hnCD16 targeting receptors enhances cytotoxic activity and prevents antigen escape, indicating that multi-antigen engagement may elicit a deeper and more durable response. Additionally, in a humanized mouse model of lymphoma, FT596 in combination with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab showed enhanced killing of tumor cells in vivo as compared to rituximab alone. FT596 is being investigated in a multicenter Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma as a monotherapy and in combination with rituximab, and for the treatment of relapsed / refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as a monotherapy and in combination with obinutuzumab (NCT04245722).
About FT819
FT819 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf, T-cell receptor (TCR)-less CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line, which is engineered with the following features designed to improve the safety and efficacy of CAR19 T-cell therapy: a novel 1XX CAR signaling domain, which has been shown to extend T-cell effector function without eliciting exhaustion; integration of the CAR19 transgene directly into the T-cell receptor alpha constant (TRAC) locus, which has been shown to promote uniform CAR19 expression and enhanced T-cell potency; and complete bi-allelic disruption of TCR expression for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease. FT819 demonstrated antigen-specific cytolytic activity in vitro against CD19-expressing leukemia and lymphoma cell lines comparable to that of primary CAR T cells, and persisted and maintained tumor clearance in the bone marrow in an in vivo disseminated xenograft model of lymphoblastic leukemia. FT819 is being investigated in a multicenter Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed / refractory B-cell malignancies, including B-cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (NCT04629729).
About FT538
FT538 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with three functional components: a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies; an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) that augments NK cell activity; and the deletion of the CD38 gene (CD38KO), which promotes persistence and function in high oxidative stress environments. FT538 is designed to enhance innate immunity in cancer patients, where endogenous NK cells are typically diminished in both number and function due to prior treatment regimens and tumor suppressive mechanisms. In preclinical studies, FT538 has shown superior NK cell effector function, as compared to peripheral blood NK cells, with the potential to confer significant anti-tumor activity to patients through multiple mechanisms of action. FT538 is being investigated in a multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and in combination with daratumumab, a CD38-targeted monoclonal antibody therapy, for the treatment of multiple myeloma (NCT04614636). FT538 is also being investigated in a multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial in combination with one of an array of tumor-targeting monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of advanced solid tumors (NCT05069935).
About FT576
FT576 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with four functional components: a proprietary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) optimized for NK cell biology that targets B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA); a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies; an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) that augments NK cell activity; and the deletion of the CD38 gene (CD38KO), which promotes persistence and function in high oxidative stress environments. In preclinical studies, FT576 has demonstrated that the high-avidity binding of the BCMA-targeted CAR construct enables sustained tumor control against various multiple myeloma cell lines, including in long-term in vivo xenograft mouse models. Additionally, in combination with daratumumab, FT576 has shown complete tumor clearance and improved survival compared to primary BCMA-targeted CAR T cells in a disseminated xenograft model of multiple myeloma. FT576 is being investigated in a multicenter Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma as a monotherapy and in combination with daratumumab (NCT05182073).
About FT536
FT536 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with four functional components: a proprietary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) optimized for NK cell biology that uniquely targets the alpha-3 domains of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I related proteins A (MICA) and B (MICB); a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies; an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) that augments NK cell activity; and the deletion of the CD38 gene (CD38KO), which promotes persistence and function in high oxidative stress environments. High expression of MICA and MICB proteins (MICA/B), which is induced by cellular stress, damage or transformation, has been reported on many solid tumors, and while cytotoxic lymphocytes, such as NK cells and CD8+ T cells, can recognize and bind the membrane-distal alpha-1 and alpha-2 domains of MICA/B, cancer cells frequently evade immune cell recognition by proteolytic shedding of the alpha-1 and alpha-2 domains of MICA/B. Recent publications have demonstrated that antibody targeting of the MICA/B alpha-3 domains specifically prevents MICA/B shedding and restores NK cell-mediated immunity (DOI:10.1126/science.aao0505), and that cancers with B2M and JAK1 inactivating mutations resulting in loss of MHC Class I expression can be effectively targeted with MICA/B alpha-3 domain-specific antibodies to restore NK cell-mediated immunity against solid tumors resistant to cytotoxic T cells (DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-19-0483). In preclinical studies, FT536 has been shown to elicit innate cytotoxicity, MICA/B-specific activity against multiple solid tumor targets, and antibody cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in combination with tumor-targeting antibodies. FT536 is being investigated in a multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial in combination with one of an array of tumor-targeting monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of advanced solid tumors (NCT05395052).
About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first-in-class cellular immunotherapies for patients with cancer. The Company has established a leadership position in the clinical development and manufacture of universal, off-the-shelf cell products using its proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform. The Company’s immuno-oncology pipeline includes off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell product candidates, which are designed to synergize with well-established cancer therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, and to target tumor-associated antigens using chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit www.fatetherapeutics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, anticipated operating expenses and cash runway, and sufficiency of its cash and cash equivalents to fund its operations, as well as statements regarding the advancement of and plans related to its product candidates, clinical studies and preclinical research and development programs, the Company’s progress, plans and timelines for the manufacture and clinical investigation of its product candidates, including the initiation and continuation of enrollment in the Company’s clinical trials, the timing for the Company’s receipt and announcement of data from its clinical trials and preclinical studies, the initiation of additional clinical trials and additional dose cohorts in ongoing clinical trials of the Company’s product candidates and the submission of IND applications for additional programs, the Company’s development and regulatory strategy, including the Company’s planned interactions with regulatory authorities, the therapeutic and market potential of the Company’s product candidates, the Company's expectations regarding progress and timelines, and potential payments under its collaborations, and the objectives, plans and goals of its collaborations. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company’s product candidates may not demonstrate the requisite safety or efficacy to achieve regulatory approval or to warrant further development, the risk that results observed in prior studies of the Company’s product candidates, including preclinical studies and clinical trials, will not be observed in ongoing or future studies involving these product candidates, the risk of a delay or difficulties in the manufacturing of the Company’s product candidates or in the initiation and conduct of, or enrollment of patients in, any clinical studies, the risk that the Company may cease or delay preclinical or clinical development of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the initiation or conduct of clinical trials, changes in the therapeutic, regulatory, or competitive landscape for which the Company’s product candidates are being developed, the amount and type of data to be generated, or otherwise to support regulatory approval, difficulties or delays in patient enrollment and continuation in the Company’s ongoing and planned clinical trials, difficulties in manufacturing or supplying the Company’s product candidates for clinical testing, and any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during preclinical or clinical development), risks related to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of the Company’s business and operations, including its ability to initiate, conduct and complete its clinical trials, and the risk that the Company’s expenditures may exceed current expectations for a variety of reasons. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company’s most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Company’s press releases and other investor communications. Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Availability of Other Information about Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
Investors and others should note that the Company routinely communicates with investors and the public using its website ( www.fatetherapeutics.com ) and its investor relations website (ir.fatetherapeutics.com) including, without limitation, through the posting of investor presentations, SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts on these websites. The information posted on these websites could be deemed to be material information. As a result, investors, the media, and others interested in Fate Therapeutics are encouraged to review this information on a regular basis. The contents of the Company’s website, or any other website that may be accessed from the Company’s website, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
(unaudited) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 Collaboration revenue $14,981 $14,225 $51,944 $38,777 Operating expenses: Research and development 79,817 53,130 233,263 146,004 General and administrative 21,555 15,718 62,648 40,385 Total operating expenses 101,372 68,848 295,911 186,389 Loss from operations (86,391) (54,623) (243,967) (147,612)Other income (expense): Interest income 1,787 289 2,962 1,012 Change in fair value of stock price appreciation milestones 891 11,026 15,131 3,070 Other Income 150 - 516 - Total other income (expense) 2,828 11,315 18,609 4,082 Net loss $(83,563) $(43,308) $(225,358) $(143,530)Other comprehensive income (loss): Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, net 128 13 (2,491) (143)Comprehensive loss $(83,435) $(43,295) $(227,849) $(143,673)Net loss per common share, basic and diluted $(0.86) $(0.45) $(2.33) $(1.52)Weighted–average common shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share 97,023,506 95,409,201 96,692,974 94,396,485
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
(unaudited) September 30, December 31, 2022 2021 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $82,093 $133,583Accounts receivable 10,223 8,676Short-term investments and related maturity receivables 423,043 482,327Prepaid expenses and other current assets 19,970 8,826Total current assets 535,329 633,412Long-term investments 13,939 100,664Operating lease right-of-use assets 67,378 70,720Other long-term assets 132,703 116,659Total assets $749,349 $921,455 Liabilities and Stockholders’ equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued expenses $59,742 $51,024Deferred revenue, current portion 35,241 21,483CIRM award liability, current portion 3,200 3,200Operating lease liabilities, current portion 5,755 5,577Total current liabilities 103,938 81,284Deferred revenue, net of current portion 12,407 27,124CIRM award liability, net of current portion 800 800Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 105,164 109,241Stock price appreciation milestones, net of current portion 9,037 24,168Stockholders’ equity 518,003 678,838Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $749,349 $921,455
Contact:
Christina Tartaglia
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
212.362.1200
christina@sternir.com