Kyverna Therapeutics, a clinical-stage company specializing in cell therapy and focused on developing innovative treatments for severe autoimmune diseases, has recently entered into a multi-year research funding agreement with the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The collaboration's primary goal is to investigate the effects of B- and plasma cell-targeting therapies, including CAR T cells, on the immune profiles and clinical outcomes of patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. The research will encompass profiling various immune cell subsets, such as circulating and tissue-resident B cells, plasma cells, T cells, and other immune cells in peripheral blood, both before and after the administration of these therapies.

It's important to note that any research outcomes resulting from this collaboration will be jointly owned by Kyverna and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Charité, expressed enthusiasm about this collaboration, emphasizing how it showcases the effective partnership between physician-scientists at Charité and leading biotech companies. Their joint efforts will enhance the understanding of molecular and cellular immune changes in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases who receive various B-cell and plasma cell-targeting therapies as part of their standard treatment.

Kyverna Therapeutics, acknowledged the significance of the collaboration with Dr. Krönke and his team. He emphasized that this partnership will contribute to advancing knowledge regarding B-cell driven diseases, which, in turn, can improve the prospects for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases and benefit from potentially life-saving therapies.

KYV-101 is an autologous version of a novel, fully human clinical-stage anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell construct designed for use in B cell-driven autoimmune diseases like lupus nephritis and other related conditions. In a Phase 1/2 study involving 20 patients with oncology indications, KYV-101 demonstrated expected anti-lymphoma activity. Notably, it was associated with a significant reduction in cytokines released, resulting in a lower incidence of cytokine-driven side effects, including immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). The fully human anti-CD19 CAR also showed reduced immunogenicity, positively impacting cell persistence at one month. Kyverna has obtained exclusive worldwide licenses from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to utilize this CD19 construct in both autologous and allogeneic CAR T-cell therapies, recognizing its suitability for autoimmune disease patients.

 

Source: prnewswire.com

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