- The partnership will support the progression of PY314, the
first of Pionyr's Myeloid Tuning™ antibodies to enter
the clinic
- Pionyr will use Abcam's EPR20243
clone to evaluate TREM2 levels in tissue samples for
potential future development as a CDx
- Abcam is Pionyr's preferred partner for the long-term
provision of anti-TREM2 antibody, suitable for use throughout the
diagnostics development process
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, England, June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Pionyr
Immunotherapeutics, Inc., a company developing first-in-class
antibody therapeutics that increase the body's anti-tumor immunity
and Abcam (AIM: ABC) (NASDAQ: ABCM), a global innovator in life
science reagents and tools, announced the extension of their
collaboration with a new commercial licensing agreement to support
the progression of PY314, the first to the clinic of Pionyr's
compounds.
Currently in Phase 1 clinical study[1], PY314 is an
anti-TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2)
monoclonal antibody for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.
PY314 is designed to tune the tumor microenvironment by selectively
depleting immune suppressive TREM2-expressing tumor-associated
macrophages to promote anti-tumor immunity.
Pionyr's Phase 1 clinical study will recruit patients with
predefined tumor types where macrophages expressing TREM2 in the
tumor microenvironment are most likely implicated as a driver of
resistant metastatic disease. Under the terms of the agreement,
Pionyr will evaluate Abcam's anti-TREM2 antibody to detect the
presence of TREM2-expressing macrophages in tumor biopsy samples
from patients enrolled in the first-in-human study. Pionyr will
explore the potential for developing a companion diagnostic test
leveraging Abcam's high quality reagents and end-to end-expertise
to facilitate and de-risk the diagnostics development journey.
Kevin Baker, SVP and Chief
Development Officer at Pionyr, said: "We are excited to
collaborate with Abcam to support the clinical development of our
PY314 program for the treatment of solid tumors. Abcam's in-depth
knowledge and track record of successfully supporting diagnostic
assay development is invaluable to anticipate late-stage
development requirements, and to facilitate access to the right
expertise at the right time."
John Baker, SVP Business
Development at Abcam, said: "Pionyr's Phase 1 PY314 is a
promising therapy that has the potential to unlock durable benefits
for cancer patients. Precise monitoring of the presence of TREM2 in
tumor biopsy samples throughout the clinical development process,
enabled by Pionyr's use of Abcam's EPR20243 clone, will provide
vital support to the success of the trial. We are thrilled to be
working with Pionyr and supporting their efforts to enhance the
immune system's anti-tumor response."
[1] Study of PY314 in Subjects With Advanced Solid Tumors
- NCT04691375
Notes to Editors
About Pionyr Immunotherapeutics
Pionyr is exploiting novel target discovery and antibody
generation platform technologies to create the next generation of
immuno-oncology therapeutics after checkpoint inhibitors. The
company's initial approach, termed "Myeloid Tuning" is designed to
enhance the immune system's anti-tumor response by specifically
altering the cellular infiltrate of the tumor microenvironment.
Pionyr's most advanced programs PY314 and PY159, targeting TREM2
and TREM1 respectively, are designed to selectively deplete and in
some cases reprogram certain tumor-associated macrophages
responsible for immunosuppression. In July
2020, Pionyr entered into a transformational alliance with
Gilead Sciences whereby Gilead acquired a minority interest in the
company, is providing funding for the company's programs and has an
exclusive option to acquire Pionyr upon completion of certain Phase
1b studies. Pionyr's additional
investors include New Enterprise Associates, OrbiMed, SV Health
Investors, Sofinnova Ventures, Vida Ventures, Osage University
Partners, Mission Bay Capital, and Trinitas Ventures. For more
information, please visit www.pionyrtx.com.
Follow @Pionyrimmunotherapeutics on LinkedIn
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About Abcam
As a global life sciences company, Abcam identifies, develops,
and distributes high-quality biological reagents and tools that are
crucial to research, drug discovery and diagnostics. Working across
the industry, the Company supports life scientists to achieve their
mission faster.
Abcam partners with life science organizations to co-create
novel binders for use in drug discovery, in vitro
diagnostics and therapeutics, driven by the Company's proprietary
discovery platforms and world-leading antibody expertise.
By constantly innovating its binders and assays, Abcam is
helping advance the global understanding of biology and causes of
disease, which enables new treatments and improved health. The
Company's pioneering data-sharing approach gives scientists
increased confidence in their results by providing validation, user
comments and peer-reviewed citations for its ~90,000 products.
With 13 sites globally, many of Abcam's 1,600-strong team are
located in the world's leading life science research hubs,
complementing a global network of services and support.
To find out more, please visit www.abcam.com and
www.abcamplc.com.
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