NAYA Biosciences is set to present translational research insights at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2024 Annual Meeting, highlighting the potential of its GPC3-targeting NK engager bispecific antibody, NY-303, to overcome resistance to PD-1 checkpoint blockade in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The data supports the initiation of Phase I/IIa clinical trials for NY-303, planned for the first half of 2025.
Reversing Immunotherapy Resistance
NY-303's mechanism of action involves turning tumors from a "cold" to a "hot" state, thereby making them susceptible to immunotherapy. This is achieved by inhibiting Wnt-GPC3-beta catenin signaling. This innovative approach is particularly relevant as approximately 70% of HCC patients do not respond to the current immunotherapy standard of care.
Armin Rath, PhD, from NAYA Biosciences, will present a poster on this research, titled "Reversal of resistance to PD-1 checkpoint blockade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by NY-303, a GPC3 NK cell engager, inhibiting Wnt-GPC3-beta catenin signaling."
AI-Driven Survival Rate Analysis
In addition to the NY-303 data, NAYA Biosciences will present findings from a Graph AI model analyzing the influence of GPC3 gene expression and NK cell tumor infiltration on HCC survival rates. This analysis leverages the influence of GPC3 gene expression and NK cell tumor infiltration on hepatocellular carcinoma survival rates.
Abhik Seal, PhD, from Lynx Analytics, will present this research in a poster titled "Leveraging Graph AI to analyze the influence of GPC3 Gene expression and NK-Cell tumor infiltration on Hepatocellular Carcinoma survival rates."
About NY-303
NY-303 is a first-in-class therapeutic candidate designed to engage and activate natural killer (NK) cells. It utilizes a bispecific antibody that targets both GPC3, an oncofetal protein expressed on liver cancer cells, and NKp46, a cell surface receptor on NK cells. This dual-targeting mechanism aims to enhance NK cell activation and the subsequent elimination of target cells.
The Need for New HCC Therapies
HCC is a significant global health challenge, with over 900,000 new cases annually. The current five-year survival rate for liver cancer in the United States is approximately 20%. While recent advances in immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, offer hope, there remains a critical need for more effective therapies, especially for advanced-stage disease.
NY-303 represents a novel approach by harnessing the body’s immune system to specifically target tumor cells. It is designed to offer potent anti-cancer effects with a potentially safer profile compared to traditional treatments, reducing the side effects often associated with chemotherapy and overcoming non-responding tumors against immunotherapies.
