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Allogene Therapeutics Presents Preclinical Findings Supporting an Allogeneic DLL3 CAR for Small Cell Lung Cancer and Development of an Inducible TurboCAR™ at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual 2020 MeetingSOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) therapies for cancer, today announced that preclinical findings supporting DLL3-targeted AlloCAR T therapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and inducible TurboCAR™ (iTurboCAR™) technology were presented in poster sessions at the virtual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting. “Our goal is to remain at the forefront of innovation in allogeneic cell therapy, and these studies inform our ability to optimize AlloCAR T therapy for both hematologic and solid tumors,” said Barbra Sasu, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Allogene. “The findings from these two presentations provide strong scientific rationale for both our AlloCAR and TurboCAR technologies – two key components of our advancing AlloCAR T platform.” In research featured during the virtual meeting, genetically modified T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) were screened, characterized and ranked against targets using in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Highly active DLL3 CARs displaying long-term killing potential were engineered to contain a rituximab off-switch. Lead DLL3 candidates were tested in vivo and robust efficacy was observed in both subcutaneous and systemic models of SCLC. Additionally, while DLL3 RNA has normal tissue expression in the brain, pituitary and testis, toxicity studies using subcutaneous and intracranial tumor models showed no tissue damage in the brain or pituitary. In a second poster, researchers presented data on a version of Allogene’s TurboCAR technology that allows cytokine activation signaling to be selectively controlled by a small-molecule on-switch. This iTurboCAR can be activated by a clinically validated dimerizer drug to improve the potency and persistence of CAR T cells. Results of this research indicated that iTurboCARs can be tailored for diverse, programmable and combinatorial signaling outputs. Further, iTurboCAR T cells may have the potential to provide the benefits of cyokine signaling while minimizing safety risks associated with concomitant cytokine therapy or constitutive cytokine secretion. The AACR posters are now available at www.aacr.org. Details are noted below. Poster: #3239 Poster: #6599 Allogene’s AlloCAR T programs utilize Cellectis technologies, under which Allogene is exclusively licensed from Cellectis. Allogene holds global development and commercial rights for investigational candidates targeting DDL3. About Allogene Therapeutics Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements AlloCAR T™ and TurboCAR T™ and iTurboCAR™ are trademarks of Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. Allogene Media/Investor Contact: |