Chimeric Therapeutics secures US patent for groundbreaking ‘killer cell’ cancer therapy

Australian cell therapy specialist Chimeric Therapeutics (ASX:CHM) has achieved another milestone in its efforts to commercialise its CHM 0201 (CORE-NK) “killer cell” technology.

Chimeric has received confirmation from the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) that it will allow the issuance of a patent application covering the CHM 0201 technology.

CHM 0201 is used to manufacture Chimeric’s clinical-stage universal NK cell asset CHM 0201 and preclinical-stage NK cell assets CHM 0301, CHM 1301 and CHM 2301.

Chimeric’s chief executive officer and managing director Jennifer Chow said the successful application will provide patent protection until 2039.

“We are delighted with [the] USPTO’s decision to grant patent protection for our CORE-NK platform in the United States, the single largest global market for biopharmaceutical products,” Ms Chow said.

“The allowance of this first US patent application lays the foundation for the intellectual property portfolio supporting our best-in-class pipeline of allogeneic NK cell assets.”

Clinically-proven platform

Developed over a number of years by Chimeric, the company holds the exclusive worldwide license to commercialise the allowed patent and related patent applications which have been filed in other global territories for oncology, immune disorders and infectious diseases.

Considered a likely best-in-class NK cell platform, CHM 0201 has been clinically confirmed with data from a recently completed phase 1A clinical trial that demonstrated safety and efficacy in blood cancers and solid tumours.

Two further additional phase 1B clinical trials investigating CHM 0201 in combination regimens have now been initiated following that early success.

Chimeric has also initiated development of new next-generation NK and CAR NK assets based on the CHM 0201 platform.

CHM 0201 is just one of a range of unique medical assets Chimeric is developing across multiple different disease areas in oncology with three current clinical programs and plans to open additional clinical programmes in 2024.

Huge US market

According to the White House, despite progress in preventing, screening for and treating cancer, it remains the second leading cause of death in the United States.

The disease in its various forms claims more than 600,000 American lives each year.

President Joe Biden’s FY 2024 budget has made strategic investments towards cancer treatment with billions allocated as part of his “Moonshot” program and “Unity Agenda” to deliver new ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer and to support the use of the current tools and the development of new ones.

The US pharmaceutical market is projected to grow from $125.8 billion in 2022 to $1.98 trillion by 2030.