Pluri Collaborates with Bar-Ilan University to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy for Solid Tumors, Supported by Israel Innovation Authority
Pluri Inc. (PLUR) announces a collaboration with Bar-Ilan University's BIRAD, funded by the Israel Innovation Authority, to advance cancer immunotherapy using Placental Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells for solid tumors. The partnership combines Pluri's proprietary MAIT cell expansion platform with Prof. Cyrille Cohen's Siglec-based Chimeric Switch Receptors technology to enhance CAR-MAIT's efficacy and tumor specificity. The project aims to develop innovative allogeneic cell therapies targeting solid tumors, addressing a significant unmet medical need. Pluri's MAIT cells, derived from human placentas, offer unique advantages including potency, multiple tumor-targeting mechanisms, and reduced risk of Graft versus Host Disease.
Pluri Inc. (PLUR) annuncia una collaborazione con il BIRAD dell'Università Bar-Ilan, finanziata dalla Israel Innovation Authority, per promuovere l'immunoterapia contro il cancro utilizzando cellule T invarianti associate alla mucosa placentare (MAIT) per i tumori solidi. La partnership combina la piattaforma proprietaria di espansione delle cellule MAIT di Pluri con la tecnologia dei recettori chimerici a base di Siglec del Prof. Cyrille Cohen per migliorare l'efficacia e la specificità tumorale delle CAR-MAIT. L'obiettivo del progetto è sviluppare innovative terapie cellulari allogeniche mirate ai tumori solidi, rispondendo a un significativo bisogno medico non soddisfatto. Le cellule MAIT di Pluri, derivate da placenta umana, offrono vantaggi unici tra cui potenza, meccanismi di targeting multipli per i tumori e un ridotto rischio di malattia del trapianto contro l'ospite.
Pluri Inc. (PLUR) anuncia una colaboración con BIRAD de la Universidad Bar-Ilan, financiada por la Autoridad de Innovación de Israel, para avanzar en la inmunoterapia contra el cáncer utilizando células T invariantes asociadas a la mucosa placentaria (MAIT) para tumores sólidos. La asociación combina la plataforma de expansión de células MAIT patentada de Pluri con la tecnología de receptores quiméricos basados en Siglec del Prof. Cyrille Cohen para mejorar la eficacia y especificidad tumoral de las CAR-MAIT. El proyecto tiene como objetivo desarrollar innovadoras terapias celulares alogénicas dirigidas a tumores sólidos, abordando una importante necesidad médica no satisfecha. Las células MAIT de Pluri, derivadas de placentas humanas, ofrecen ventajas únicas, como potencia, múltiples mecanismos de orientación a tumores y un reducido riesgo de enfermedad injerto contra huésped.
Pluri Inc. (PLUR)가 이스라엘 혁신 당국의 지원을 받아 Bar-Ilan 대학교의 BIRAD와 협력하여 태반 점막 관련 불변 T 세포(MAIT)를 사용한 암 면역 요법을 추진한다고 발표했습니다. 이 파트너십은 Pluri의 독점 MAIT 세포 확장 플랫폼과 Prof. Cyrille Cohen의 Siglec 기반 키메라 스위치 수용체 기술을 결합하여 CAR-MAIT의 효능과 종양 특이성을 향상시킵니다. 이 프로젝트의 목표는 주요 unmet medical need를 해결하기 위해 고형 종양을 타겟으로 하는 혁신적인 동종세포 치료제를 개발하는 것입니다. Pluri의 MAIT 세포는 인간 태반에서 유래되었으며, 효능, 다수의 종양 타겟팅 메커니즘 및 이식편대숙주병(GvHD) 위험을 줄이는 등 고유한 장점을 제공합니다.
Pluri Inc. (PLUR) annonce une collaboration avec le BIRAD de l'Université Bar-Ilan, financée par l'Autorité israélienne de l'innovation, pour faire progresser l'immunothérapie contre le cancer en utilisant des cellules T invariantes associées à la muqueuse placentaire (MAIT) pour les tumeurs solides. Ce partenariat combine la plateforme d'expansion des cellules MAIT propriétaire de Pluri avec la technologie des récepteurs chimeriques basés sur Siglec du Prof. Cyrille Cohen afin d'améliorer l'efficacité et la spécificité tumorale des CAR-MAIT. Le projet vise à développer des thérapies cellulaires allogéniques innovantes ciblant les tumeurs solides, répondant à un besoin médical important non satisfait. Les cellules MAIT de Pluri, dérivées de placentas humains, offrent des avantages uniques, notamment la puissance, plusieurs mécanismes de ciblage des tumeurs et un risque réduit de maladie du greffon contre l'hôte.
Pluri Inc. (PLUR) gibt eine Zusammenarbeit mit dem BIRAD der Bar-Ilan-Universität bekannt, die von der Israel Innovation Authority finanziert wird, um die Krebsimmuntherapie unter Verwendung von Plazentalen mukosalen assoziierten invariant T-Zellen (MAIT) für solide Tumoren voranzutreiben. Die Partnerschaft kombiniert Pluris proprietäre MAIT-Zellexpansionsplattform mit der Siglec-basierten chimerischen Switch-Rezeptortechnologie von Prof. Cyrille Cohen, um die Wirksamkeit und Tumorspezifität der CAR-MAIT zu verbessern. Ziel des Projekts ist die Entwicklung innovativer allogener Zelltherapien, die sich auf solide Tumoren konzentrieren und somit einem signifikanten, unmet medical need gerecht werden. Pluris MAIT-Zellen, die aus menschlichen Plazenten stammen, bieten einzigartige Vorteile, darunter Potenz, multiple Tumorzyzielungsmechanismen und ein geringeres Risiko für die Transplantat-gegen-Wirt-Krankheit.
- IIA funding secured for MAIT cell therapy development
- Project targets $312B cancer immunotherapy market by 2033
- Novel patented method for immune cell expansion developed
- Reduced risk of Graft versus Host Disease compared to alternatives
- Technology still in early development phase
- Clinical efficacy yet to be proven
- Requires additional year of potential funding
Insights
This collaboration marks a significant advancement in cancer immunotherapy by combining Pluri's proprietary MAIT cell expansion platform with Prof. Cohen's Siglec-based CCR technology. The integration addresses two critical challenges in solid tumor treatment: MAIT cell expansion and tumor-specific targeting.
The key technical advantages include:
- Placental source provides abundant, potent immune cells
- MAIT cells show reduced GvHD risk compared to traditional allogeneic products
- Enhanced tumor migration capability through chemokine receptors
- Multiple tumor-targeting mechanisms
With the global cancer immunotherapy market projected to reach
- The Israel Innovation Authority will fund Pluri and BIRAD's collaboration to advance MAIT Cell Therapy, led by Professor Cyrille Cohen, Head of the laboratory of tumor immunology and immunotherapy at Bar-Ilan University
- MAIT cells hold immense potential for immunotherapy and the treatment of solid tumors compared to conventional T-cells, but their expansion has been a challenge until Pluri announced its proprietary MAIT immunotherapy platform in May 2024
- Global cancer immunotherapy market is expected to reach $312 billion by 2033
HAIFA, Israel, Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pluri Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUR) (TASE:PLUR) (“Pluri” or the “Company”), a leading biotechnology company that transforms cells into solutions, today announced that the Israel Innovation Authority (“IIA”) will fund Pluri’s collaboration with the Bar-Ilan University Research and Development Company Ltd., (“BIRAD”), the commercial arm of Bar-Ilan University, to support the continued development of Placental Mucosal Associated Invariant T (“MAIT”) cells for solid tumors. MAIT cells are known to have unique advantages compared to conventional T-cells but have previously been difficult to expand and scale for clinical investigation and potential commercialization. MAIT cells are believed to be particularly suitable for the treatment of solid tumors, a significant unmet medical need.
Under this collaboration, Prof. Cohen’s novel Siglec-based Chimeric Switch Receptors (“CCR”) will be integrated into Pluri’s CAR-MAIT cell therapy platform to significantly enhance CAR-MAIT’s efficacy and tumor specificity. By leveraging the complementary strengths of both parties, Pluri’s expertise in the MAIT cell platform and the experience of Prof. Cohen’s group in developing clinically relevant and optimized T-cell genetic modification vectors, this collaboration is poised to advance innovative allogeneic cell therapies targeting solid tumors. The IIA will fund Pluri and BIRAD’s collaboration over the next year, with an option of funding an additional year. The goal of this collaboration is to effectively integrate both innovative technologies and advance to preclinical studies.
As announced in May 2024, Pluri leveraged two decades of cell expansion expertise and its proprietary technology to create a novel, patented method for expansion of immune cells. Pluri’s MAIT cells are isolated from healthy human placentas, a source rich in highly potent immune cells. Notable characteristics of Pluri’s placental MAIT cells include their potency as effector cells, their potential ability to target tumors through multiple mechanisms, and their expression of high levels of various chemokine receptors, which facilitate their migration to tumor sites. MAIT cells hold unique properties that minimize their likelihood of inducing Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), a serious complication associated with other potential allogeneic products.
“I’m thrilled to collaborate with Pluri on this innovative project to be supported by the Israel Innovation Authority,” said Prof. Cyrille Cohen. “By combining our patent pending Siglec-based receptor technology and our expertise in designing potent CAR vectors for clinical applications, together with Pluri’s advanced capabilities in cultivating MAIT cells, we aim to harness the unique biological properties of these cells. While immunotherapy has shown great success in treating blood cancers, an equivalent success has yet to be duplicated in solid tumor malignancies. This collaboration offers the potential to overcome that challenge by creating powerful, off-the-shelf CAR T-cell therapies that specifically target solid tumors.”
“For over two decades, our team has been at the forefront of cell therapy research. We are excited to partner with BIRAD to combine our MAIT platform with Prof. Cohen's innovative CCR technology,” said Yaky Yanay, Chief Executive Officer and President of Pluri. “This promising collaboration, recognized by the Israel Innovation Authority for its innovative potential, will help us create more effective immunotherapies for patients with solid cancer. We appreciate the IIA's support in making this possible.”
Total Addressable Market
The global cancer immunotherapy market was valued at
About Pluri Inc.
Pluri™ is pushing the boundaries of science and engineering to create cell-based products for commercial use and is pioneering a biotech revolution that promotes global well-being and sustainability. The Company’s technology platform, a patented and validated state-of-the-art 3D cell expansion system, advances novel cell-based solutions for a range of challenges — from medicine and climate change to food scarcity, animal cruelty and beyond. Pluri’s method is uniquely accurate, scalable, cost-effective and consistent from batch to batch. Pluri currently operates in the regenerative medicine, foodtech and agtech fields. The Company also offers CDMO services. Pluri establishes partnerships that leverage the Company’s proprietary 3D cell-based technology across various industries that require effective, mass cell production. To learn more, visit us at www.pluri-biotech.com or follow Pluri on LinkedIn and X (formerly known as Twitter).
About BIRAD
BIRAD – Research & Development Company Ltd. was established in order to translate new inventions made at Bar-Ilan University into useful products that can be effectively commercialized, thus strengthening the economy, promoting innovation and improving lives. BIRAD’s innovative approach, combined with Bar-Ilan University’s rapid growth leading Israel’s growth in students’ number, including the largest Nanotechnology center in Israel and new Medical School in Safed, provides BIRAD with a wide range of opportunities. Thus, BIRAD (https://birad.biz/) offers corporate partnerships and alliances, intellectual property management, and technology commercialization through venture creation and licensing.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other U.S. Federal securities laws. For example, Pluri is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the development of MAIT cells and their potential advantages, the potential size of the global cancer immunotherapy market, the integration of CCRs into Pluri’s CAR-MAIT cell therapy platform and the potential benefits resulting from the collaboration between Pluri and BIRAD. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of Pluri only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements about Pluri: changes in technology and market requirements; Pluri may encounter delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing its clinical trials, if necessary; its products may not be approved by regulatory agencies, its technology may not be validated as it progresses further and its methods may not be accepted by the scientific community; it may be unable to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of its products; unforeseen scientific difficulties may develop with its processes; its products may wind up being more expensive than it anticipates; results in the laboratory may not translate to equally good results in real clinical settings; its patents may not be sufficient; its products may harm recipients or consumers; changes in legislation with an adverse impact; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; loss of market share and pressure on pricing resulting from competition, which could cause the actual results or performance of Pluri to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, Pluri undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Pluri reference is made to Pluri’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media Contacts
Investors: investor.relations@pluri-biotech.com
Israel Media: Shachar Yental at shacharye@gitam.co.il
U.S. Media: Jessica Daitch at Jessica@quantum-corp.com
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