Werewolf Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company” or “Werewolf”)
(Nasdaq: HOWL), an innovative biopharmaceutical company pioneering
the development of conditionally activated therapeutics engineered
to stimulate the body’s immune system for the treatment of cancer
and other immune mediated conditions, today shared clinical and
preclinical data at the 2024 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s
(SITC) 39th Annual Meeting, taking place November 6-10 in Houston,
Texas.
WTX-330, a potential first-in-class systemically delivered IL-12
therapy selectively activated in the tumor microenvironment, is
currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial: NCT05678998.
This is Werewolf’s second clinical program to validate the INDUKINE
design, delivering potent immune mechanisms to the tumor with
improved tolerability and evidence of clinical efficacy.
Preliminary clinical findings presented at SITC demonstrate
WTX-330’s promising therapeutic potential as a monotherapy,
exhibiting a favorable tolerability profile and inducing tumor
shrinkage in patients with treatment-resistant solid tumors,
including those tumors that are less sensitive to immunotherapy. A
Phase 1/2 dose- and regimen-finding clinical trial, designed to
optimize WTX-330 exposure in the tumor microenvironment and explore
activity in selected indications, is expected to begin enrolling in
the first half of 2025.
“The data from this first-in-human trial of WTX-330 combined
with the observed monotherapy activity seen in both immunotherapy
sensitive and resistant solid tumors in heavily pretreated
patients, reinforces our belief in WTX-330's potential to address
critical unmet needs in oncology,” said Randi Isaacs, M.D., Chief
Medical Officer. “We are excited to advance the development of this
novel therapeutic and explore its full clinical potential for the
benefit of patients."
As of October 7, 2024, the study had enrolled twenty-five
patients with diverse solid tumors, including microsatellite stable
colorectal cancer (MSS CRC), cholangiocarcinoma, metastatic
cutaneous melanoma, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with
more than 70% of patients having received at least two prior lines
of therapy for metastatic disease. Key findings include:
- Favorable tolerability profile:
Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were primarily mild to
moderate (most commonly fatigue, increased aspartate
transaminase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT), pyrexia, and
neutropenia); severe AEs occurred but were manageable and
reversible.
- Pharmacokinetic improvements over rhIL-12:
WTX-330 had 22-fold greater plasma exposure than the reported
maximum tolerated dose of rhIL-12 but with low levels of active
IL-12 (<1.6% of prodrug).
- IL-12 activity and tumor immune activation:
Evidence of IL-12 activity in the tumor microenvironment with four
patients with MSS CRC showing evidence of tumor immune activation
in on-treatment tumor biopsies .
- Antitumor activity: A 76 year old patient with
diffuse in-transit metastatic melanoma who had progressed on
adjuvant pembrolizumab achieved a Response Evaluation Criteria in
Solid Tumors (RECIST) confirmed partial response.
Additionally, Werewolf presented preclinical data demonstrating
the ability of INDUKINE molecules containing IL-2, IL-12, IL-21, or
IL-18 cytokines to generate cytokine-specific antitumor immunity as
monotherapy in mice bearing syngeneic tumors. These data revealed
unique pharmacological profiles for each cytokine, underscoring the
strategic rationale to develop each as an INDUKINE molecule for
targeted therapeutic applications.
About WTX-330WTX-330 was designed to be a
systemically dosed prodrug with the ability to deliver fully active
IL-12 selectively into the tumor microenvironment via targeted
intratumoral activation of the INDUKINE molecule, potentially
broadening the therapeutic window and promoting local activation
and immune response against the tumor.
About Werewolf TherapeuticsWerewolf
Therapeutics, Inc., is an innovative biopharmaceutical company
pioneering the development of therapeutics engineered to stimulate
the body’s immune system for the treatment of cancer and other
immune-mediated conditions. The Company is leveraging its
proprietary PREDATOR® platform to design conditionally activated
molecules that stimulate both adaptive and innate immunity with the
goal of addressing the limitations of conventional proinflammatory
immune therapies. Werewolf’s INDUKINE molecules are intended to
remain inactive in peripheral tissue yet activate selectively in
the tumor microenvironment. The Company’s most advanced clinical
stage product candidates, WTX-124 and WTX-330, are systemically
delivered, conditionally activated Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) INDUKINE molecules, respectively, for the
treatment of solid tumors. Werewolf is advancing WTX-124 in
multiple tumor types as a single agent and in combination with an
immune checkpoint inhibitor and WTX-330 in multiple tumor types or
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma as a single agent. To learn more visit
www.werewolftx.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking
statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All
statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in
this press release, including statements regarding Werewolf’s
strategy, future operations, prospects, plans, and objectives of
management; the expected timeline for the preclinical and clinical
development of product candidates, and the availability of data
from such preclinical and clinical development; the potential
activity and efficacy of product candidates in preclinical studies
and clinical trials; the anticipated safety profile of product
candidates; and the upcoming presentations at SITC, constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “aim,”
“anticipate,” “approach,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,”
“could,” “design,” “designed to,” “engineered,” “estimate,”
“expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “ongoing,”
“plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “promise,” “should,”
“target,” “will,” or “would,” or the negative of these terms, or
other comparable terminology are intended to identify
forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking
statements contain these identifying words. The Company may not
actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in
these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or
events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and
expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a
result of various important factors, including: uncertainties
inherent in the development of product candidates, including the
conduct of research activities and the initiation and completion of
preclinical studies and clinical trials; uncertainties as to the
availability and timing of results from preclinical studies and
clinical trials; the timing of and the Company’s ability to submit
and obtain regulatory approval for investigational new drug
applications; whether results from preclinical studies will be
predictive of the results of later preclinical studies and clinical
trials; whether preliminary or interim data from a clinical trial
will be predictive of the results of the trial and future clinical
trials; the Company’s ability to manage cash resources and obtain
additional cash resources to fund the Company’s foreseeable and
unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure
requirements; as well as the risks and uncertainties identified in
the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Form 10-Q
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and in
subsequent filings the Company may make with the SEC. In addition,
the forward-looking statements included in this press release
represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release.
The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments
will cause its views to change. However, while the Company may
elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in
the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.
These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as
representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the
date of this press release.
WEREWOLF®, the WEREWOLF logo, PREDATOR®, INDUKINE™ and other
Werewolf trademarks, service marks, graphics and logos are trade
names, trademarks or registered trademarks of Werewolf
Therapeutics, Inc., in the United States or other countries. All
rights reserved.
Investor Contact:John NortonPrecision
AQ212.362.1200John.Norton@precisionaq.com
Media Contact:Amanda SellersDeerfield
Group301.332.5574amanda.sellers@deerfieldgroup.com
Company Contact:Ellen LubmanChief Business
OfficerWerewolf Therapeuticselubman@werewolftx.com
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