Press Release - October 4, 2016
Heidelberg, Germany, October 4, 2016 – Affimed N.V. (Nasdaq: AFMD), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies, announced today the presentation of preclinical data on the Company’s lead candidate AFM13, a bispecific NK-cell-engaging TandAb targeting CD30/CD16A, at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society for Natural Immunity in Taormina, Italy.
The data, generated in Affimed’s collaboration with the Innate Immunity Group of Dr. Adelheid Cerwenka at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Germany, were presented in a poster titled “The bispecific CD30/CD16A TandAb AFM13 amplifies the cytolytic and proliferative potential of NK-cells” yesterday, October 3, 2016.
In this preclinical study, the specific phenotype and functionality of human NK-cells when redirected to AFM13-coated tumor cells, as well as their responsiveness to cytokines, were analyzed. The results show that AFM13 improves NK-cell cytotoxicity against CD30+ tumor cells that are resistant to naïve NK-cells. Using CFSE-labelled NK-cells, the researchers demonstrated that AFM13 amplifies cytokine–mediated NK-cell proliferation and expansion by enhancing the NK-cells’ sensitivity to IL-2 and IL-15. These data indicate that cytokine administration in combination with AFM13 might potentially enhance NK-cell activity in the tumor microenvironment.
AFM13 is a tetravalent bispecific TandAb antibody that binds bivalently to both CD30 on tumor cells and CD16A on NK-cells. The molecule has been shown to engage NK-cells through CD16A with high affinity and specificity, resulting in strong NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity. AFM13 is currently being tested in Hodgkin lymphoma patients as a monotherapy (Phase 2) and in combination with Merck’s Keytruda® (Phase 1b).
Affimed (Nasdaq: AFMD) engineers targeted immunotherapies, seeking to cure patients by harnessing the power of innate and adaptive immunity (NK- and T-cells). We are developing single and combination therapies to treat cancers and other life-threatening diseases. For more information please visit www.affimed.com.
Caroline Stewart, Head IR
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Anca Alexandru, Head of Communications, EU IR
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