MDNA11 demonstrates a 30-fold increase in affinity for IL-2 receptor beta without binding to IL-2 receptor alpha when compared to recombinant human IL-2
-- MDNA11 was well-tolerated and induced durable proliferation and expansion of anti-cancer immune cells with limited stimulation of pro-tumor Treg cells in non-human primates
-- MDNA11 alone or in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor generated durable complete responses and provided long-term protection against tumor re-challenge in murine cancer models
TORONTO and HOUSTON, Jan. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. (“Medicenna” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: MDNA TSX: MDNA), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, today announced the peer-reviewed publication of preclinical data on MDNA11, the Company’s selective, long-acting and novel IL-2 super-agonist. The paper, which was published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, is entitled, “Fine-tuned Long-Acting Interleukin-2 Superkine Potentiates Durable Immune Responses in Mice and Non-Human Primate.”
“We believe that this prestigious peer-reviewed publication provides important external validation for MDNA11’s preclinical dataset, which demonstrates the advantages of the Superkine’s differentiated ‘beta-only’ approach to targeting the IL-2 receptor,” said Fahar Merchant, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Medicenna. “MDNA11 showed potent and long-lasting anti-cancer activity in mice, as well as a pharmacokinetic profile that was vastly superior to recombinant human IL-2. In non-human primates, the long-acting Superkine selectively induced durable proliferation and expansion of anti-cancer immune cells without safety issues typically associated with IL-2. These preclinical findings are notably consistent with preliminary safety and pharmacodynamic data from our Phase 1/2 ABILITY study, which we believe provides early clinical evidence of MDNA11’s potential.”
Data presented in the paper are from in vitro, murine, and non-human primate (NHP) studies evaluating MDNA11’s anti-cancer activity as well as its selective IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) binding, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and safety profiles. While recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2) has been approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and kidney cancer, its use is limited by its short half-life and superior binding to the trimeric high-affinity receptor comprising the IL-2R alpha (IL-2Rα), which leads to preferential activation of pro-tumor Treg cells and toxicity. MDNA11 was engineered to overcome these shortcomings by virtue of its vastly superior selectivity and activation of cancer fighting immune cells, via IL-2R beta (IL-2Rβ), unlike “not-alpha” IL-2 variants, which to-date have shown sub-optimal single-agent activity.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/01/26/2373377/0/en/Medicenna-Announces-Peer-Reviewed-Publication-of-Preclinical-Data-on-MDNA11-in-the-Journal-for-ImmunoTherapy-of-Cancer.html