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US-based startup Elpis Biopharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing bispecific armored CAR-T therapies for solid tumours, has announced entry into a research collaboration agreement with Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
The agreement focuses on the development of next generation allogeneic CAR (chimeric antigen receptors) technologies, including an armored CAR-γδT (gamma-delta-T), targeting acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a bi-specific CAR-γδT for multiple myeloma (MM).
Under the terms of the research collaboration agreement, Elpis will contribute the bispecific and armored CAR technologies to SGH via a technology transfer, which was completed at the end of April.
SGH will leverage its unique γδT platform and clinical expertise to advance the development of each asset into separate investigator-initiated trials. Should the data be favorable, both parties have expressed a mutual intention to explore the formation of a joint venture to further develop and commercialize the therapies.
Elpis has developed a suite of integrated, proprietary technologies that work in concert to unlock the full therapeutic potential of CAR-T in multiple tumour settings and immune cell modalities. These innovations aim to overcome the most significant challenges in tumor treatment: immune suppression within the tumour microenvironment (TME) and antigen heterogeneity. The precision engineered cell type specific armor modulates the persistence of the CAR engineered immune cells and bystander immune cell activities.
