Biotechnology company Arovella Therapeutics (ASX:ALA) reports a successful in vitro outcome regarding its research collaboration with Imugene (ASX:IMU).
The company says positive results, returned from initial in vitro experiments being conducted as part of the joint research collaboration, demonstrate that Arovella’s CAR19-iNKT cell therapy (ALA-101) and Imugene’s onCARlytics (CF33-CD19) therapy kills solid tumour cells in vitro.
Adding on, Arovella reports following on from these results have resulted both parties have chosen to progress the research collaboration to the next phase of testing.
“Combining the two platforms made sense scientifically and seeing this play out in practise is exciting”
The company also notes it intends to present this early data at a conference in the near-term alongside Imugene, and that the project’s next stage is to test the combination in viva (mouse models).
Results from the second stage of testing are expected to be received in mid-2023.
Commenting on the collaboration Arovella Therapeutics Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director Dr Michael Baker said: “We are pleased by the first set of data and delighted to continue the partnership with Imugene and its onCARlytics platform. Combining the two platforms made sense scientifically and seeing this play out in practise is exciting, even the impact this combination of therapeutics could have in solid tumours.”
In addition, it is reported the collaboration between both parties opens potential new therapeutic targets for ALA-101 in solid tumours and represents an ‘exciting’ expansion of Arovella’s pipeline.
With the research collaboration with Imugene still ongoing, Arovella announces it is continuing to progress its ALA-101 product towards first in human clinical trials for the treatment of blood cancers, and is working to complete clinical manufacturing and IND-enabling studies.
Arovella is an ASX-listed biotechnology company focused on developing therapies to treat human diseases within the oncology area, and conditions that impact the central nervous system. The company is currently developing its invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapy platform from Imperial College London to treat blood cancers and solid tumours.
