TILT Biotherapeutics announced the first dose in the US ovarian cancer clinical immunotherapy trial
HELSINKI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TiLT Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing cancer immunotherapies, announces that the first US patient has received a dose in its ovarian cancer study (NCT05271318) using an oncolytic adenovirus, TILT-123, may be first-in-class in this indication.
This open-label, phase I, dose-escalation, multicenter, multinational clinical trial of TILT-123 in combination with MSD (trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ., USA) anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), is indicated for platinum-resistant or refractory ovarian cancer (PROTA, also called TILT-T563). A US patient treated at the Mayo Clinic must enroll in the first cohort of three patients, the other two of which are located in Finland. A maximum of 15 patients are expected to be enrolled in the Phase I study.
The company’s open-label Phase I clinical programs in Europe and the United States now cover several cancer types, including ovarian cancer, head and neck cancer, and melanoma. In September, the company announced a new collaboration and supply agreement with MSD to evaluate TILT-123 in combination with KEYTRUDA in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-refractory non-small cell lung cancer.
TILT Biotherapeutics CEO Akseli Hemminki, a cancer clinician who has personally treated hundreds of cancer patients with earlier versions of oncolytic viruses, said:Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease that desperately needs better treatments. There are no oncolytic viruses or checkpoint inhibitors approved for this indication. The first US patient to be dosed is a significant milestone as we strive to use our weaponized oncolytic viruses to impact this difficult-to-treat disease. It is a pleasure to work with the prestigious Mayo Clinic on such deliveries innovation that makes an impact. We are investing in our own operations in the US and will open trial sites in the US by the end of the year as we move towards Phase 2 trials.
The core of TILT’s innovative approach revolves around the use of cancer cell-specific oncolytic adenoviruses armed with cytokines and other molecules to enhance the patient’s T-cell immune response so that it is better able to find and destroy cancer cells.
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KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, USA.
About TILT Biotherapeutics
TILT Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cancer therapies based on its proprietary oncolytic adenoviruses equipped with molecules, including cytokines, that can stimulate or suppress T cells. TILT patented by the company® the technology, which can be delivered locally and systemically, modifies the tumor microenvironment and eliminates its ability to suppress immune responses against cancer, enhancing T-cell therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, TIL therapy, and CAR T therapies. .
TILT’s lead asset, TILT-123, is a chimeric serotype 5/3 adenovirus equipped with two human cytokines: TNF-alpha and IL-2. TILT-123 has demonstrated a 100% response rate in preclinical cancer models in vivoand is currently in phase I clinical trials.
The company’s pioneering approach has been recognized by industry leaders including Merck KGaA and the Pfizer Alliance, which are collaborating to study the therapeutic effect of TILT-123 in combination with the PD-L1 inhibitor Avelumab (Bavencio).®), for head and neck cancer (NCT05222932). The company has two collaborations with MSD, a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, investigating TILT-123 in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA).®) in ovarian cancer (NCT05271318) and refractory non-small cell lung cancer. In 2019, TILT entered into an additional partnership with Biotheus, a privately held Chinese company based in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, to develop and commercialize TILT’s proprietary oncolytic virus TILT-123 in Greater China.
The Helsinki-based company was founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the University of Helsinki. It has funding from Lifeline Ventures, Teollisuussijoitus (TESI), angel investors, Business Finland and the European Innovation Council.