PHILADELPHIA, PA — Carisma Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CARM), in collaboration with Moderna, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA), has announced promising pre-clinical results for their innovative anti-GPC3 chimeric antigen receptor macrophage (CAR-M) therapy targeting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This therapy marks a significant advancement in the treatment of GPC3+ solid tumors, demonstrating the ability to reprogram the body’s own immune cells to attack cancerous cells.
The pre-clinical studies revealed that the in vivo anti-GPC3 CAR-M therapy specifically targets the GPC3 tumor antigen, exhibiting strong dose-dependent cytotoxicity against GPC3+ tumor cells. The therapy not only reduces tumor burden but also suppresses metastasis to the liver, with results showing significant efficacy in both syngeneic and humanized tumor models. Importantly, the treatment was well tolerated in mouse models, indicating its potential as a scalable, off-the-shelf treatment option for patients with HCC.
Michael Klichinsky, PharmD, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Carisma, highlighted the innovative nature of the therapy, stating, “The data demonstrate our ability to generate anti-GPC3 CAR-M cells directly in vivo using mRNA/LNP technology, leading to significant tumor reduction in translationally relevant pre-clinical models. This novel off-the-shelf approach offers a promising new strategy for treating hepatocellular carcinoma, and we are eager to advance it toward clinical development.”
Lin Guey, PhD, CSO of Therapeutic Research Ventures at Moderna, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the successful application of Moderna’s platform. “These preclinical data highlight the successful application of our mRNA/LNP platform in enabling in vivo cell therapy. We look forward to further advancing the anti-GPC3 in vivo CAR-M therapy for HCC patients and continuing our collaboration with Carisma to bring innovative treatments to those patients with solid tumors.”
This collaboration between Carisma and Moderna is poised to make significant strides in the fight against HCC, leveraging cutting-edge technology to potentially transform cancer treatment paradigms. The promising pre-clinical results set the stage for future clinical development, drawing closer to providing new hope for patients battling this challenging form of cancer.
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