On March 29, 2023 Coeptis Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: COEP) ("Coeptis" or "the Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cell therapy platforms for cancer, reported it has obtained the exclusive right to negotiate towards the acquisition of VyGen-Bio, Inc. or its assets (Press release, Coeptis Therapeutics, MAR 29, 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coeptis-therapeutics-secures-exclusive-rights-to-negotiate-to-acquire-transformational-cell-therapy-platform-to-enable-potent-combinatorial-immuno-oncology-treatment-strategies-301784036.html [SID1234629516]). Coeptis intends to immediately commence its due diligence review of VyGen-Bio’s assets, including its IP and knowhow related to rights to GEAR cell therapy and companion diagnostic platforms, and, depending on the results of its due diligence analysis, turn to negotiation of definitive deal documents. VyGen-Bio’s product candidates and platforms were discovered by scientists at the world-renowned Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, including Dr. Arnika Wagner, who is expected to play a key collaborative development role for Coeptis as the Company builds its capabilities to develop treatments for cancer and gains technologies to develop additional cell and gene therapies.
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This transaction, if finalized, would expand upon Coeptis’ collaboration with VyGen-Bio, which is currently focused on CD38-GEAR-NK, a natural killer (NK) cell therapy for the treatment of CD38+ cancers with an initial focus on multiple myeloma, and CD38-Diagnostic, an in vitro diagnostic tool being developed to help identify cancer patients who may be appropriate candidates for anti-CD38 mAb therapy.
In the event a transaction is consummated, Coeptis would then be in a position to advance the development of various GEAR-engineered cells, including NK cells, T cells, and hematopoietic stem cells, and to pursue development of GEAR-engineered cells for use in combination with mAbs that target a potentially wide range of receptor targets. Additional development options that would be explored could include therapeutic modalities where the antigen-specificity of mAbs is used, such as CAR-T and bispecific antibodies for the treatment of a broad range of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.
"We believe that the acquisition of VyGen-Bio’s GEAR Platform would represent a significant inflection point in the growth of Coeptis and our strategy to be a leader in the development of ‘next generation’ cell therapy technologies for cancer and other diseases," said Dave Mehalick, President and CEO of Coeptis Therapeutics. "Our vision for GEAR is bold and ambitious, as we believe this novel cell engineering approach protects the integrity, fitness and function of the cell while importantly shielding it from destruction by co-administered mAbs. We believe the GEAR platform offers the potential to not only improve existing cancer therapies, but further expand the use of existing therapies in new indications."
"If we are able to successfully consummate an acquisition transaction, we plan to initially focus on advancing the first GEAR candidate, CD38-GEAR-NK, to the clinic for the treatment of multiple myeloma and to concurrently engage in business development activities to expand the GEAR Platform into new cell therapy products via potential co-development and/or licensing partnerships," Mehalick added.
GEAR was discovered by scientists at the Karolinska Institutet (KI), including Evren Alici M.D., Ph.D., Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren M.D., Ph.D., and Arnika Kathleen Wagner Ph.D. Drs. Alici, Ljunggren, and Wagner are founding members of VyGen-Bio and will continue to contribute in the development of the technology platforms as members of Coeptis’ Scientific Advisory Board. Drs. Ljunggren and Alici are managing directors of NextGenNK, an international Competence Center for the development of next-generation NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies based at KI and funded by Sweden’s innovations agency, Vinnova. KI is globally recognized for its Nobel Assembly, which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
"GEAR-NK cells, and ultimately all GEAR-engineered cells, are being designed to potentially decrease side-effects associated with certain mAb therapies and potentially reduce or eliminate the ‘on-target-off-tumor’ effect. As a Coeptis’ SAB member, I look forward to collaborating in the development of these technologies, which may have widespread applicability in cancer and beyond," stated GEAR co-inventor, Dr. Wagner.