Eterna Therapeutics Enters Into Option and License Agreement with Lineage Cell Therapeutics to Develop Hypoimmune Pluripotent Cell Lines for Multiple Neurology Indications
February 22 2023 - 7:00AM
Eterna Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ERNA) (“Eterna”), a
preclinical-stage biotechnology company committed to realizing the
potential of mRNA cell engineering to provide patients with
transformational new medicines, today announced that it has entered
into an exclusive option and license agreement (the “Agreement”)
with Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (“Lineage”) for the
development of novel induced hypoimmune pluripotent stem cell
(iPSC) lines, which Lineage will evaluate for development into cell
transplant therapies. The new cell lines to be developed by Eterna
will support the potential creation of additional product
candidates at Lineage, specifically for the treatment of certain
central nervous system (CNS) disorders and other neurology
indications. Eterna is the exclusive licensee of the key
intellectual property underlying this collaboration.
“The cell therapy expertise demonstrated by
Lineage makes them an attractive partner to deploy our mRNA cell
engineering platform for the generation of novel gene-edited iPSC
lines for neurological applications,” said Matt Angel, Ph.D.,
CEO of Eterna. “At Eterna, we have expertise in creating
gene-edited iPSC lines using our extensively patented mRNA cell
engineering technologies. We look forward to collaborating with the
Lineage team on this project and working with them to develop these
powerful tools for the generation of new, intelligently-engineered
cell therapy product candidates in the CNS space.”
Under the Agreement, Eterna plans to conduct
certain gene-editing activities and provide materials to Lineage
for evaluation. The Agreement provides Lineage an option to obtain
an exclusive license to utilize and sublicense the novel
gene-edited cell lines for preclinical, clinical, and commercial
purposes in the field of CNS diseases. A feature of the starting
cell line is the targeted deletion of the beta 2 microglobulin
(B2M)-gene, which is designed to reduce the immunogenicity of
product candidates derived from the lines by inhibiting rejection
by CD8+ T cells. Lineage expects this attribute will expand the
edited cell lines’ overall utility, including for non-immune
privileged or non-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched
indications. Additional planned gene edits may further
differentiate the cell line from others currently in use by
competitors. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“This agreement provides the opportunity to
combine insights obtained from our dry age-related macular
degeneration program with new tools, to broaden the scope of our
technology and may help deliver solutions for a wider range of
diseases. The engineering of desirable properties into cell lines
can also lead to treatments that are highly differentiated from our
competitors,” stated Brian M. Culley, Lineage’s CEO. “The initial
cell lines we envision bringing into the clinic through this
agreement will utilize proprietary mRNA based gene-editing
technology developed by Eterna’s CEO, Dr. Matt Angel. It is natural
that we would look to introduce aspects of gene editing,
hypoimmunity, and additional pluripotent cell lines alongside our
existing directed differentiation capabilities in the furtherance
of our overall goal of becoming a comprehensive leader in cell
therapy.”
About Eterna Therapeutics
Inc.Eterna Therapeutics is a preclinical-stage
biotechnology company committed to realizing the potential of mRNA
cell engineering to provide patients with transformational new
medicines. Eterna has in-licensed a portfolio of over 100 patents
covering key mRNA cell engineering technologies, including
technologies for mRNA cell reprogramming, mRNA gene editing, the
NoveSlice™ and UltraSlice™ gene-editing proteins, and the ToRNAdo™
mRNA delivery system from Factor Bioscience. NoveSlice™,
UltraSlice™, and ToRNAdo™ are trademarks of Factor Bioscience. For
more information, please visit www.eternatx.com.
About Lineage Cell Therapeutics
Inc.Lineage Cell Therapeutics is a clinical-stage
biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet
medical needs. Lineage’s programs are based on its robust
proprietary cell-based therapy platform and associated in-house
development and manufacturing capabilities. With this platform
Lineage develops and manufactures specialized, terminally
differentiated human cells from its pluripotent and progenitor cell
starting materials. These differentiated cells are developed to
either replace or support cells that are dysfunctional or absent
due to degenerative disease or traumatic injury or administered as
a means of helping the body mount an effective immune response to
cancer. Lineage’s clinical and preclinical programs are in markets
with billion dollar opportunities and include five allogeneic
(“off-the-shelf”) product candidates: (i) OpRegen®, a retinal
pigment epithelial cell therapy in Phase 2a development for the
treatment of geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular
degeneration, is being developed under a worldwide collaboration
with Roche and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group; (ii) OPC1,
an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell therapy in Phase 1/2a
development for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries; (iii)
VAC2, a dendritic cell therapy produced from Lineage’s VAC
technology platform for immuno-oncology and infectious disease,
currently in Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of
non-small cell lung cancer; (iv) ANP1, an auditory neuronal
progenitor cell therapy for the potential treatment of auditory
neuropathy; and (v) PNC1, a photoreceptor neural cell therapy for
the potential treatment of vision loss due to photoreceptor
dysfunction or damage. For more information, please visit
www.lineagecell.com or follow the company on Twitter
@LineageCell.
Forward-Looking StatementsThis
press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
which are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements are any statements that are not
statements of historical fact and may be identified by terminology
such as “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “expect,”
“plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “project,” “will” or other similar
words and the negatives of such words. Forward-looking statements
are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to
risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future
performance. Actual results could differ materially from those
stated or implied in any forward-looking statement as a result of
various factors, including, but not limited to, uncertainties
related to: (i) the evolution of Eterna’s business model into a
platform company focused on mRNA, iPS cell and gene editing
technologies; (ii) Eterna’s ability to successfully,
cost-effectively and efficiently develop its technology and
products; (iii) Eterna’s ability to successfully commence clinical
trials of any products on a timely basis or at all; (iv) Eterna’s
ability to successfully fund and manage the growth of its
development activities; (v) Eterna ’s ability to obtain regulatory
approvals of its products for commercialization; and (vi)
uncertainties related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the
business and financial condition of Eterna, including on the timing
and cost of its clinical trials. You should not rely upon
forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The
forward-looking statements made in this communication speak only as
of the date on which they were made, and Eterna does not undertake
any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained
herein to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist
after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law.
Factors that may cause Eterna’s actual results to differ from those
expressed or implied in forward-looking statements contained in
this press release are more fully disclosed in Eterna’s periodic
public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
particularly under the heading “Risk Factors” in Eterna’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as
amended, as well as under similar headings in Eterna’s subsequently
filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form
8-K.
Eterna’s mRNA cell engineering technologies are
licensed from Factor Bioscience. NoveSlice™, UltraSlice™, and
ToRNAdo™ are trademarks of Factor Bioscience.
Eterna Therapeutics
Investorsinvestors@eternatx.com
Eterna Therapeutics
MediaEternaPR@westwicke.com
Eterna Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ERNA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Eterna Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ERNA)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024