Jounce Therapeutics Presents Preclinical Data from JTX-8064/LILRB2 Program at the 2021 American Association for Cancer Resear...
April 10 2021 - 08:31AM
Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNCE), a clinical-stage company
focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer
immunotherapies and predictive biomarkers, today reported new
preclinical data on JTX-8064, the first tumor-associated macrophage
program from their Translational Science Platform, at the
2021 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Virtual Annual Meeting being held April 10-15, 2021. The poster
presentation includes data showing a high Leukocyte Immunoglobulin
Like Receptor B2 (LILRB2) to interferon gamma (IFNγ) ratio is
associated with resistance to PD-(L)1 inhibitor treatment in
humans, JTX-8064’s ability to bridge innate and adaptive immunity,
and how Jounce’s Translational Science Platform informed indication
selection for the Phase 1 INNATE trial.
“The translational analyses presented at AACR link JTX-8064’s
mechanism to tumor types that may respond better to LILRB2
inhibition,” said Elizabeth Trehu, M.D., chief medical officer
of Jounce Therapeutics. “The Phase 1 INNATE trial is designed
to move as quickly as possible to proof of concept and this new
data enabled the prioritization of tumor-specific expansion
cohorts, which are on track to start enrolling in the second half
of 2021. Furthermore, the negative prognostic implications of a
high LILRB2 to IFNγ ratio support the role of LILRB2 in resistance
to PD-(L)1 inhibitors and highlight the potential for JTX-8064 to
reverse this resistance.”
In a poster titled “Tumor
associated macrophages and resistance to immune checkpoint
blockade: Consideration of cancer indications for the clinical
development of JTX-8064, an anti-LILRB2/ILT4
monoclonal antibody” Jounce demonstrated:
- JTX-8064 can induce T cell
activation in co-culture with macrophages, demonstrating its
potential to bridge the gap between innate and adaptive immune
responses;
- CD163+ M2 macrophages co-localize
with T cells in the tumor microenvironment, and patients with high
levels of LILRB2 or a proprietary tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)
signature score relative to an IFNγ signature score are less
responsive to PD-(L)1 inhibitors, providing evidence that LILRB2+
macrophages may be involved in mechanisms of primary resistance to
PD-(L)1 inhibitors; and
- Expression profiles of LILRB2 mRNA,
TAM signatures, and other inflammatory cell signatures were used to
identify tumor types that may benefit most from JTX-8064 treatment
and used to inform indication selection for expansion cohorts of
the Phase 1 INNATE trial.
The poster is available on the “Our Pipeline” section of
the Jounce Therapeutics website
at www.jouncetx.com.
About JTX-8064
JTX-8064 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody designed to
specifically bind to Leukocyte Immunoglobulin Like Receptor B2
(LILRB2/ILT4) and block interactions with its ligands. JTX-8064 is
the first tumor-associated macrophage candidate developed from
Jounce’s Translational Science Platform. Preclinical data presented
at the 2020 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s Annual
Meeting and the 2019 and 2021 American Association for Cancer
Research Annual Meetings support the development of JTX-8064
as a novel immunotherapy to reprogram immune-suppressive
macrophages and enhance anti-tumor immunity. A Phase 1 clinical
trial named INNATE (NCT04669899), of JTX-8064 as a monotherapy and
in combination with either JTX-4014, or pembrolizumab, is currently
enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors.
About Jounce Therapeutics
Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage immunotherapy
company dedicated to transforming the treatment of cancer by
developing therapies that enable the immune system to attack tumors
and provide long-lasting benefits to patients through a
biomarker-driven approach. Jounce currently has multiple
development stage programs ongoing while simultaneously advancing
additional early-stage assets from its robust discovery engine
based on its Translational Science Platform. Jounce’s highest
priority program, JTX-8064, is a LILRB2 (ILT4) receptor antagonist
shown to reprogram immune-suppressive tumor associated macrophages
to an anti-tumor state in preclinical studies. A Phase 1 clinical
trial, named INNATE, of JTX-8064 as a monotherapy and in
combination with JTX-4014, Jounce’s internal PD-1 inhibitor, or
pembrolizumab is currently enrolling patients with advanced solid
tumors. Jounce’s most advanced product candidate, vopratelimab, is
a monoclonal antibody that binds to and activates ICOS, and is
currently being studied in the SELECT Phase 2 trial. JTX-4014 is a
PD-1 inhibitor intended for combination use in the INNATE and
SELECT trials and with Jounce’s broader pipeline. Additionally,
Jounce exclusively licensed worldwide rights to JTX-1811, a
monoclonal antibody targeting CCR8 and designed to selectively
deplete T regulatory cells in the tumor microenvironment, to Gilead
Sciences, Inc. For more information, please visit
www.jouncetx.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements:
Various statements in this release concerning Jounce’s future
expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation,
Jounce’s expectations regarding the timing, progress and results of
preclinical studies and clinical trials of JTX-8064; commencement
of indication-specific expansion cohorts of Jounce’s INNATE
clinical trial; the use of JTX-4014 in combination with Jounce’s
other product candidates; may constitute forward-looking statements
for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal
securities laws and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties
and assumptions. You should not place reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which often include words such as
“expect,” “plan,” “potential,” “will” or similar terms, variations
of such terms or the negative of those terms. Although Jounce
believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking
statements are reasonable, Jounce cannot guarantee such outcomes.
Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these
forward-looking statements as a result of various important
factors, including, without limitation, risks that the COVID-19
pandemic may disrupt Jounce’s business and/or the global healthcare
system more severely than anticipated, which may have the effect of
delaying enrollment and completion of Jounce’s clinical trials, or
delaying timelines and regulatory submissions for its product
candidates; Jounce’s ability to successfully demonstrate the
efficacy and safety of its product candidates and future product
candidates; the preclinical and clinical results for its product
candidates, which may not support further development and marketing
approval; the potential advantages of Jounce’s product candidates;
Jounce’s ability to successfully manage its clinical trials; the
development plans of its product candidates and any companion or
complementary diagnostics; actions of regulatory agencies, which
may affect the initiation, timing and progress of preclinical
studies and clinical trials of Jounce’s product candidates;
Jounce’s ability to obtain, maintain and protect its intellectual
property; Jounce’s ability to manage operating expenses and capital
expenditures; and those risks more fully discussed in the section
entitled “Risk Factors” in Jounce’s most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as well
as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other
important factors in Jounce’s subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. All such statements speak only
as of the date made, and Jounce undertakes no obligation to update
or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor and Media Contacts:Mark YoreJounce
Therapeutics, Inc.+1-857-200-1255 myore@jouncetx.com
Malin DeonJounce Therapeutics,
Inc.+1-857-259-3843mdeon@jouncetx.com
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