On April 4, 2024 Navrogen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company specialized in developing therapies for cancer and immune-related disorders, reported that it will be presenting preclinical data on its next-generation anti-CD20 antibody, NAV-006, and ICAM-1 refractory antibody-drug conjugate platform at the 2024 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Conference in San Diego, California, on April 8-9 (Press release, Navrogen, APR 4, 2024, View Source [SID1234641796]).
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CD20-targeting rituximab antibody is the standard-of-care for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Recent clinical evidence suggests that high serum levels of the tumor-produced MUC16/CA125 protein has a negative impact on the efficacy of rituximab. To counteract the effects of CA125 binding to rituximab and reducing its tumor cell killing activity, Navrogen has generated a rituximab variant (NAV-006) using its BRITE proprietary technology. Navrogen will present data showing NAV-006’s superior efficacy over rituximab in animal models of human NHL. Navrogen’s screening technology has also found that CA125 inhibits other regulatory approved canonical and bispecific antibodies targeting CD19 and CD20 in relapsed/refractory NHL, underscoring a broader impact that CA125 has on biological drugs. "We are committed to combat cancers where humoral immunity is suppressed by CA125 and by other tumor-produced factors", said Dr. Luigi Grasso, Navrogen’s Chief Scientific Officer. "Our BRITE-optimized NAV-006 offers a new therapeutic modality to treat lymphoma patients with high levels of CA125 in relapsed/refractory disease".
Navrogen will also present the Humoral Immuno-Oncology (HIO) technology that has uncovered the tumor-produced protein ICAM-1, which binds to IgG1-type antibodies and inhibits their immune effector activity. "In addition to its immunosuppressive effects, we have found that membrane-bound ICAM-1 can reduce internalization of antibody-drug conjugates and their efficacy", continued Dr. Grasso. "We have engineered a trastuzumab-drug conjugate variant with superior cytotoxicity against ICAM-1 positive cancer cells. We are now building a portfolio of enhanced ADCs using this platform to advance internal as well as partnered ADC programs".