Late-stage Clinical Therapies in Hematology/Oncology and Chronic Inflammation
Lenzilumab (LENZ) is a monoclonal antibody currently in a Phase 2/3 trial in Australia for
Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), with published findings presented at an invited oral presentation on CMML at the American Society of Hematology meeting in San Diego in December 2024, showing a CR (Complete Response) and either an mCR (marrow Complete Response) or an oMR (optimal Marrow Response) of 85% in the aggregate (whether assessed by the IWG or Savona criteria) compared to 7-21% cited in literature for standard of care. LENZ was well-tolerated and not associated with serious adverse events, consistent with the clinical experience in hundreds of patients in other studies at a similar dose or higher.
US, UK and European trials are planned in CMML, and potentially in AML, MDS, autoinflammation, CHIP and oncology treatment-associated myeloid neoplasms.
A Phase 3 study protocol has been signed off by FDA focused on increasing the effectiveness of CAR-T therapies for cancer. Mayo Clinic is in discussion with the company to lead this potential registration study. LENZ has an established safety
profile and a Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) package.
For more on those assets, see The Opportunity
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IFAB
Ifabotuzumab (“IFAB”) is a monoclonal antibody engineered to target a receptor called EphA3 in solid cancers found in the breast, lungs, pancreas, and brain, but not found in normal cells. A Phase 1 study in the brain cancer Glioblastoma Multiforme demonstrated that treatment was well tolerated, while IFAB showed rapid, specific targeting of the tumor. The company has developed ADC constructs based on IFAB and has pre-clinical animal PK data with these optimized ADC constructs, and preparing to study them further in a Phase 1 basket study across a range of solid tumor types.
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TRN005 is a first-in-class anti-eosinophil antibody engineered for potential effectiveness against a variety of inflammatory diseases. High blood counts of eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) are associated with rare conditions such as eosinophilic leukemia, Churg-Strauss syndrome (also known as eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis), certain forms of asthma and COPD,, rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, various gastro-intestinal diseases, including certain food allergies, colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Taran seeks to divest TRN005 to a company able to leverage its promise.
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