NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[jondoeuk]

It would be a simplified universal Car-T like application, like FATE, but better.

FATE's are showing signs of activity, and this will continue to get better due to the translational data. With Ono Pharma, they plan to leverage the platform to generate highly edited, next-gen CAR-T products.

For these, they look to overcome GvHD (TCR knockout), use novel co-stims (e.g., 1XX), improve persistence (e.g., membrane-bound IL-15), overcome antigen escape (e.g., dual CARs), be checkpoint resistant (e.g., PD-1 knockout), locally secrete 'payloads' (e.g., bi-specific T-cell engagers), overcome the immunosuppressive TME (e.g., dominant-negative TGF-B receptor), and have better trafficking to sites of disease (e.g., co-express a chemokine receptor).

Also, J&J have nominated the first candidate, and an IND should be filed later this year.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/09/17/1572079/24675/en/Fate-Therapeutics-Announces-Strategic-Collaboration-with-ONO-Pharmaceutical-to-Develop-Off-the-Shelf-iPSC-derived-CAR-T-Cell-Cancer-Immunotherapies.html https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/04/02/2011136/0/en/Fate-Therapeutics-Announces-Worldwide-Collaboration-with-Janssen-for-Novel-iPSC-derived-Cell-based-Cancer-Immunotherapies.html