Elicera Therapeutics AB

📢 PRESS RELEASE: Elicera Therapeutics includes the first patient in the Phase I/II clinical study CARMA targeting B-cell lymphoma   We’re delighted to have officially kicked off the Phase I/II CARMA study, with the first patient enrolled. This study aims to evaluate the safety profile and treatment efficacy of a single dose of our iTANK-armed CAR T-cell therapy, ELC-301, in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, or indolent lymphoma.   The CARMA trial, conducted at Uppsala University Hospital and Karolinska University Hospital, will include an initial dose escalation phase in 12 patients to determine optimal dosing, followed by an evaluation of the maximum tolerable dose in an additional 6 patients.    Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/dNDUey9M

We will be at BIO-Europe 2024!   Taking place on 4-6 November in Stockholm, Sweden, BIO-Europe brings together the global life science community to network and learn about the latest advances in the field.   We’re looking forward to connecting with other industry professionals, exploring potential new collaborations, and discussing how our iTANK-armed CAR T-cell and oncolytic virus therapies are pushing the boundaries of cancer treatment.   If you’re attending and would like to schedule a meeting, get in touch! [email protected]   #BIOEurope2024

We’re developing next-generation oncolytic viruses—a cutting-edge approach in cancer immunotherapy. These viruses are designed to selectively infiltrate and destroy tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Oncolytic viruses not only destroy tumor cells but also activate the immune system by releasing tumor-specific proteins, triggering a strong anti-tumor T-cell response. This turns “cold” tumors, which lack immune activity, into “hot” tumors with increased immune cell infiltration. As a result, checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), which need an active immune system to work, can be more effective when combined with oncolytic viruses. This opens new possibilities for treating solid tumors that don’t respond to CPIs alone. 🚀 Our two oncolytic immunotherapies: ELC-100 (AdVince): Currently in a clinical phase I/II trial for treating neuroendocrine tumors (NET), sponsored by Uppsala University. ELC-201: A new-generation oncolytic virus with three mechanisms of action, theoretically suitable for treating most types of tumors. Head to our website to learn more! https://lnkd.in/d6xUyM7U #Oncology #OncolyticViruses #Immunotherapy

While CAR-T cell therapies have shown remarkable success in treating blood cancers, solid tumors present unique challenges that have slowed their progress. 1️⃣ Antigen Heterogeneity: Solid tumors often have a variety of antigens (targets) on their surface, unlike blood cancers where the targets are more uniform. This makes it harder for CAR-T cells to attack all cancer cells effectively, increasing the risk of antigen escape and the formation of CAR/TCR T-cell-resistant tumors. 2️⃣ Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment: Solid tumors create a hostile environment that exhausts CAR-T cells and prevents them from infiltrating the tumor. This immunosuppressive microenvironment makes it tough for CAR-T cells to kill cancer cells and reduces their overall effectiveness. We're tackling these hurdles head-on to unlock the full potential of CAR-T therapies in solid tumor treatment with our iTANK platform. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e_C3tAg

We’ve developed a universal CAR/TCR T-cell arming technology platform called iTANK that’s designed to make CAR-T cell therapy even more effective against cancer, especially in solid tumors. iTANK-armed CAR-Ts have been shown to: 🔹 Have Better Tumor Control: In preclinical studies, iTANK-armed CAR-T cells have shown they can shrink tumors more effectively and enhance survival of mice than conventional unarmed CAR-Ts. 🔹 Target More Cancer Cells: Be more effective in targeting tumors with heterogeneous antigen expression. 🔹 Boost Immune Response: iTANK turns “cold” tumors (which the immune system ignores) into “hot” ones, making them easier for the body’s immune system to fight off. 🔹 Work with All CAR-T technologies: Regardless of the choice of CAR-target or other modifications to the CAR T-cell, iTANK can be universally applied to any CAR T-cell therapy to boost the effectiveness against many different types of tumors. Discover iTANK: https://lnkd.in/e_C3tAg

We’re addressing the toughest challenges in cancer immunotherapy with our iTANK platform. CAR T-cell therapies hold great promise, but they struggle against solid tumors due to tumor antigen heterogeneity and a suppressive microenvironment. Our iTANK technology counters these barriers by arming CAR/TCR T-cells with a proinflammatory neutrophil-activating protein (NAP) derived from Helicobacter pylori. This unique approach induces bystander immunity and supports a pro-inflammatory microenvironment, activating the patient’s own CD8 killer T-cells to attack multiple tumor antigen targets—regardless of the specific tumor type or CAR molecule used. Watch the video to learn more about iTANK’s mode of action! https://lnkd.in/gNgnPhbu

We are proud to be the only Swedish company developing CAR T-cell therapies for commercial use, standing among very few companies in Europe amidst a landscape dominated primarily by players from the US and China. Most of the CAR T-cells currently in development are second-generation, with about half targeting the CD19 antigen, prevalent in various blood cancers. Our unique approach, utilizing the iTANK platform, sets us apart. Unlike others, iTANK enables parallel activation of the patient's own immune system, enhancing the anti-cancer response. This innovation is integrated into our advanced CAR T-cell therapies, including ELC-301 and ELC-401, offering hope for patients with solid tumors where traditional CAR T-cell therapies have not worked. Find out more about us: https://www.elicera.com/

We were recently at #CICON24, the world’s largest immuno-oncology conference!   We’re stoked that our CSO, Magnus Essand, was invited to deliver a speech about our groundbreaking CAR-T cells, equipped with the bacterial virulence factor NAP.   In his presentation, he explained how our novel approach improves tumour targeting and enhances the immune response, offering promising potential for treating glioblastoma and relapsed B cell carcinoma, where conventional CAR-T therapies have struggled. Read more in the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) blog: https://lnkd.in/gMyQtTKk

On 12 September, our CEO, Jamal El-Mosleh, will be taking to the stage at the Investing in Life Science From Seed to Success event to present Elicera Therapeutics.   Catch his talk at 10:45 EST – don’t miss out!

Immuno-oncology is a game-changer in cancer treatment. Unlike traditional methods like chemotherapy, it focuses on empowering the body’s immune system, particularly through activating tumor-killing T-cells. The biggest breakthrough in cancer treatment is checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), which help T-cells fight cancer by blocking inhibitory signals. Tumors with high T-cell presence respond well to CPIs, which activate existing T-cells rather than creating new ones. It is possible to improve CPI effectiveness by increasing T-cell infiltration in tumors, breaking barriers for existing T-cells, and prompting new T-cell responses where needed. We are developing two cancer immunotherapies: oncolytic viruses and CAR T-cell treatments. These therapies kill cancer cells directly and are genetically modified to activate the patient's T-cells to attack tumors. Read more about immuno-oncology on our website: https://lnkd.in/dDwh9ss #immunotherapy #oncolyticviruses #CARTCellTherapy