On May 18, 2021 Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vinings Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK: NDYN), reported entry into two separate exclusive option agreements with VyGen-Bio, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Vycellix, Inc., involving technologies being studied to potentially improve the treatment of CD38-related cancers (Press release, Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, MAY 18, 2021, View Source [SID1234580233]). The technologies are CD38-GEAR-NK, a cell therapy product being developed to protect CD38+ natural killer (NK) cells from destruction by anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and CD38-Diagnostic, an in vitro diagnostic tool being developed to analyze if cancer patients might be appropriate candidates for anti-CD38 mAb therapy. Both technologies are being developed from VyGen-Bio’s Gene-Edited Antibody Resistant NK (GEAR-NK) platform, which was discovered by scientists at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The first option agreement involves co-development rights to CD38-GEAR-NK, which is an autologous, NK cell-based investigational therapeutic derived from a patient’s own cells and gene-edited to enable combination therapy with anti-CD38 mAbs, potentially minimizing the risks and side effects from CD38-positive NK cell fratricide. The first indication is expected to be multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of plasma cells. Per the option agreement, Coeptis has paid VyGen-Bio a non-refundable fee for the exclusive option to purchase the co-development rights to the technology. Coeptis has until December 31, 2021 to exercise the option and pay the specified exercise consideration.

The second option agreement involves co-development rights to CD38-Diagnostic, which is an investigational in vitro screening tool to potentially pre-determine which cancer patients are most likely to benefit from targeted anti-CD38 mAb therapies, either as monotherapy or in combination with CD38-GEAR-NK. Per the option agreement, Coeptis has paid VyGen-Bio a non-refundable fee for the exclusive option to purchase the co-development rights to the technology. Coeptis has until December 31, 2021 to exercise the option and pay the specified exercise consideration.

"At Coeptis, we are focused on identifying and advancing technologies that have the potential to disrupt conventional treatment paradigms and improve patient outcomes," said Dave Mehalick, President and CEO of Coeptis Pharmaceuticals. "The option agreements with VyGen-Bio epitomize this business strategy as each technology may offer the potential to vastly improve the treatment of CD38-related cancers, including multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and acute myeloid leukemia, by identifying those patients who are most likely to benefit from anti-CD38 mAbs and then potentially ‘super charging’ a patient’s immune system by protecting CD38+ NK cells from destruction by anti-CD38 mAbs."

Mr. Mehalick continued, "We envision these agreements with VyGen-Bio to be an important step in support of our focus in cell and gene therapy."