• Arovella has acquired from MD Anderson an exclusive global licence to the patent rights for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that targets a DKK1 peptide
• The technology can be used as a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) for the treatment of blood cancers and solid tumours
• The DKK1-CAR/mAb has the potential to target a wide cancer spectrum and has a large population potential
• DKK1-CAR-T cells have robust activity against blood cancers and solid tumours
• Expands Arovella’s iNKT cell therapy pipeline by combining the DKK1-CAR with its iNKT cell therapy platform
• Licensing fees funded through existing cash reserves
• Webinar to be held at 11:00 am AEDT today discussing the licence from MD Anderson. Click here to register.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA 13 December 2021: Arovella Therapeutics, (ASX: ALA), a biotechnology company focused on developing its invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cell therapy platform, today announces that it has signed a global, exclusive licence agreement with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for the patent rights to a novel mAb developed for cancer treatment.
This is the first monoclonal antibody directed against a DKK1 peptide found in complex with HLA-A2 on the surface of cancer cells (DKK1). DKK1 is a target that is found in many cancer types, including blood cancers and solid tumours and 40-50% of the population is HLA-A2 positive, meaning that this technology may be applicable across a wide spectrum of cancers that affect a significant proportion of the population.
Higher levels of DKK1 in cancer patients may serve as a prognostic biomarker for cancers such as Multiple Myeloma, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (PAAD), and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LUSC). Higher DKK1 production has been observed in bladder cancer and increased production of DKK1 may assist Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) cell invasion and migration. It has also been suggested that increased DKK1 levels may cause resistance to chemotherapy in cancers such as ovarian cancer.
For more information, download the attached PDF.
Download this document
