IN8bio announces preclinical data for CAR Platform, launches CD33 Program

IN8bio announced preclinical data for its novel non-signaling CAR platform and the launch of its INB-330 program in AML. The new data included preliminary results for the nsCAR platform targeting CD33, a challenging but potentially impactful target in AML. The data were presented in a poster session at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023. IN8bio’s nsCAR platform is based on the natural ability of gamma-delta T cells to distinguish between healthy and malignant tissue. By using a CAR that lacks a signaling domain, IN8bio believes it has created a technology that enables these cells to differentiate between tumor and healthy tissue, even when both express the CAR-targeted antigen. The power of the nsCAR technology to selectively target tumor cells was shown in proof-of-concept studies against the validated target of CD19. Preliminary data showed a gamma-delta CD19 nsCAR killed 80% of leukemia cells versus only 5% of healthy B cells, which both express the CD19 target. The new data presented at AACR includes early preclinical results for the INB-330 program targeting CD33 for AML, an important but challenging target due to its expression on both leukemic cells and hematopoietic stem cells. Previous therapies targeting CD33 were limited due to the significant side effects resulting from the unintended targeting of these HSCs. The data presented at AACR showed that a CD33 targeting nsCAR construct was successfully engineered into gamma-delta T cells. The ns33CAR cells were able to distinguish between leukemic cells and healthy monocytes isolated from peripheral blood, both of which express CD33. The ns33CAR demonstrated anti-leukemic activity against AML, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia cell lines. These preliminary findings support the ongoing evaluation of INB-330 in AML and improvements in transduction and CAR optimization are ongoing.