EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immunome, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNM), a biopharmaceutical company utilizing a proprietary human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics, announced that it advanced its first oncology program into IND-enabling studies and anticipates filing an IND in the second half of 2021.
The IL-38 target was identified through the interrogation of a B cell sample from a head and neck cancer patient using the Immunome discovery engine. IL-38 appears to function as a novel innate immune checkpoint, secreted by tumors to inhibit myeloid cell activation and dampen innate anti-tumor immunity. A correlation between high IL-38 expression and poor clinical outcomes in lung cancer was noted in a recent published study (Takada et al., PLoS One, 2018).
Purnanand Sarma, PhD, CEO of Immunome, said, “We are very excited to advance our lead oncology program targeting IL-38, a novel innate immune checkpoint that appears to inhibit infiltration and pro-inflammatory activity of innate immune cells. Our analysis of publicly available data (The Cancer Genome Atlas) further confirms that IL-38 is over-expressed in certain tumors with high unmet clinical need, such as carcinomas of the head, neck and lung and that its expression appears to be correlated to reduced infiltration of innate immune cells.”
Dr. Anthony Tolcher, MD, FRCPC, medical oncologist and co-founder of NEXT Oncology as well as a member of Immunome’s Scientifc Advisory Board, said, “Agents targeting the innate immune system, specifically myeloid biology, represent novel approaches in the treatment of solid tumors. Immunome’s target, IL-38, appears to play a key role in keeping the tumor microenvironment immunologically unresponsive, and reversing this dampened immunity may lead to favorable treatment modalities, especially in high unmet medical need diseases where it is overexpressed. I am excited to see this agent moving into IND-enabling studies and head towards the clinic.”
About Immunome
Immunome is a biopharmaceutical company utilizing our proprietary human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics designed to change the way diseases are currently being treated with an initial focus on oncology and infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Immunome’s proprietary discovery platform identifies novel therapeutic antibodies and their targets by leveraging highly educated components of the immune system, memory B cells, from patients whose bodies have learned to fight off their disease. For more information, please visit www.immunome.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain disclosures that contain “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding Immunome’s beliefs and expectations regarding the advancement of its oncology and COVID-19 therapeutic antibody programs, execution of its clinical and strategic plans, anticipated upcoming milestones for IMM-BCP-01 and IMM‐ONC‐01, including expectations regarding therapeutic potential and benefits thereof, and IND filings. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “anticipate,” believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “seek” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on Immunome’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, those risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Immunome’s business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, Immunome’s ability to execute on its strategy including with respect to the timing of IND filings and other anticipated milestones, Immunome’s ability to fund operations, as well as those risks and uncertainties set forth more fully under the caption “Risk Factors” in the final prospectus dated October 1, 2020 and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and elsewhere in Immunome’s filings and reports with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Immunome undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law.
