Precigen Inc. (PGEN)

[sandyraveon]

ZIOPHARM is advancing its non-viral Sleeping Beauty (SB) platform towards point-of-care (P-O-C) for very rapid manufacturing of genetically modified CAR+ T cells. Data presented from first- and second-generation SB clinical trials demonstrate safety, tolerability, disease response, long-term survival, and persistence of infused CD19-specific CAR+ T cells. Preclinical studies showed that P-O-C CAR+ T cells co-expressing membrane-bound interleukin-15 (mbIL15) and a control switch manufactured within two days do not require activation or propagation in tissue culture to achieve anti-tumor effects and prolonged T-cell survival. Building on these data, the Company plans to initiate its first P-O-C clinical trial in 2018.