New partners to help develop CAR T-cell therapy for brain cancer
OPTF01 currently in preclinical stages of development
Optieum Biotechnologies and Genezen are teaming up to help develop OPTF01, an experimental cell therapy for glioblastoma, an aggressive form of glioma.
“Partnering with Genezen’s team of experts ensures that critical materials for our groundbreaking therapies are manufactured to the highest standards, accelerating our progress toward delivering next-generation therapies for glioblastoma and other solid tumors,” Shun Nishioka, CEO of Optieum, said in a joint press release.
Glioblastoma is the most common type of primary brain tumor that affects adults. The tumors are caused by the uncontrolled growth of astrocytes, a type of brain cell that normally helps to support nerve function. They typically grow very fast and are hard to manage with available therapies.
CAR T-cell therapy uses body’s immune system to target cancer cells
OPTF01 is a CAR T-cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy that aims to kill cancer cells by weaponizing the body’s immune system. T-cells are a subset of immune cells that play a critical role in immune defense by identifying and eliminating cells that have become dysfunctional or disease-causing. A CAR, short for chimeric antigen receptor, is a human-made protein that directs T-cells to attack a specific molecular target.
In OPTF01, T-cells are specifically equipped with a CAR that targets a protein called fibroblast activation protein-alpha. This protein is expressed by glioblastoma cells and also by other cells that surround the tumor and support tumor growth, so by targeting it, OPTF01 is designed to simultaneously attack tumor cells and disrupt the cellular environment that lets the tumor thrive. The therapy is currently in preclinical stages of development.
“At Optieum, we are committed to redefining the future of CAR-T therapy through relentless innovation and scientific rigor,” Nishioka said.
To deliver the CAR to T-cells, OPTF01 uses a lentiviral vector (LVV) construct. Essentially, this is a special kind of virus that’s been modified to deliver the genes needed to make the CAR instead of causing an infection. Under the new agreement, Genezen will be responsible for manufacturing the LVV construct for use in OPTF01.
“Genezen is honored to support Optieum’s best-in-class CAR-T programs with our best-in-class LVV expertise to bring these critical therapies to life,” said Steve Favaloro, chairman and CEO of Genezen. “This collaboration with Optieum underscores our rich experience and the capabilities of both our people and state-of-the-art facilities to support customers on a global scale — now including a leading Japanese biotech.”
About the Author
