In-Vivo mRNA CAR-M targeting GPC-3 / Moderna, CARISMA Therap - LARVOL DELTA

Carisma Therapeutics Announces Strategic Restructuring to Re-prioritize Pipeline (PRNewswire) - "Pipeline Updates:...Oncology: In collaboration with Moderna..., Carisma is advancing multiple programs utilizing an in vivo chimeric antigen receptor macrophage and monocyte ('CAR-M') plus mRNA/LNP approach. The lead program is an anti-glypican 3 (GPC3) in vivo CAR-M therapy that has demonstrated the potential for this scalable, patient-friendly approach to transform solid tumor therapy. In addition to this program, Moderna has nominated four undisclosed oncology research targets under the collaboration and has the right to designate up to ten oncology targets as development targets."

Pipeline update • Solid Tumor

Carisma Unveils Promising Pre-Clinical Data on Anti-GPC3 In Vivo CAR-M Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (PRNewswire) - "Pre-clinical results showed that the novel in vivo anti-GPC3 CAR-M therapy exhibits specificity for the GPC3 tumor antigen, driving potent dose-dependent cytotoxicity against GPC3+ tumor cells. Additionally, the CAR-M produced pro-inflammatory cytokines and adopted an inflammatory, activated macrophage phenotype upon antigen engagement. In both syngeneic and humanized tumor models, systemic administration of anti-GPC3 CAR mRNA/LNP significantly reduced tumor burden and suppressed metastasis to the liver. The therapy was well tolerated in mouse models, highlighting its potential as an off-the-shelf treatment for GPC3+ solid tumors, including HCC."

Preclinical • Hepatocellular Cancer

Carisma Therapeutics to Present New Data on Anti-GPC3 In Vivo CAR-M Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma at SITC 2024 (Businesswire) - "The abstract...presents the first pre-clinical data on the development candidate targeting Glypican-3...a tumor-associated antigen commonly expressed in HCC. This novel off-the-shelf approach reprograms endogenous myeloid cells in vivo using lipid nanoparticles ('LNP') to deliver mRNA encoding CARs. The data show that this in vivo CAR-M therapy has significant potential as a treatment for GPC3+ solid tumors, including HCC."

Preclinical • Hepatocellular Cancer

Carisma Therapeutics Announces Upcoming Presentations at SITC 2024 (PRNewswire) - "Carisma Therapeutics Inc...today announced its upcoming poster presentations at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), taking place in Houston, Texas, November 6 -10, 2024."

P1 data • Preclinical • Gastrointestinal Cancer • Hepatocellular Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • HER-2

Carisma Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights (PRNewswire) - "Second Quarter 2024 Highlights and Upcoming Milestones...GPC3+ solid tumors (CAR-M + mRNA/LNP; Moderna Collaboration)...The Company expects to present preclinical data from the development candidate at an upcoming medical meeting...Research and development expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $15.3 million....The decrease of $3.2 million was primarily due to a $2.9 million decrease in our facilities and other expenses associated with a decrease in sponsored research agreement fees, a $1.7 million decrease in direct costs associated with CT-0508, a $0.2 million decrease in direct costs associated with the pre-clinical development related to CT-1119, a $0.1 million decrease in costs associated with a reduction in pass through studies, partially offset by a $1.2 million increase in direct costs associated with pre-clinical development of CT-0525 and a $0.5 million increase in personnel costs due to severance costs related to the revised operating plan."

Commercial • Preclinical • Gastrointestinal Cancer • Hepatocellular Cancer • Liver Cancer • Lung Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Carisma Therapeutics Announces Nomination of First In Vivo CAR-M Development Candidate for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Under Collaboration with Moderna (PRNewswire) - "Carisma Therapeutics...announced the nomination of the first development candidate ('Development Candidate'), under its collaboration with Moderna, Inc. The Development Candidate is an in vivo CAR-M targeting Glypican-3 ('GPC3') and is designed to treat solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma ('HCC'), the most prevalent type of liver cancer and the fastest-rising cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. This nomination triggers a $2 million milestone payment to Carisma....In addition to this program, Moderna has nominated four undisclosed oncology research targets under the collaboration. Carisma is responsible for the discovery and optimization of development candidates, while Moderna will lead the development and commercialization of resulting therapeutics."

Financing • Pipeline update • Hepatocellular Cancer

First In Vivo CAR-M Lead Candidate Nominated Under Carisma-Moderna Collaboration (PRNewswire) - "Carisma Therapeutics Inc...today announced the nomination of its first lead candidate under the collaboration with Moderna, Inc...This first lead candidate will target an antigen present on a solid tumor with significant unmet medical need. This strategic collaboration brings together Carisma's chimeric antigen receptor macrophage (CAR-M) platform with Moderna's messenger RNA (mRNA) and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies to generate and develop in vivo CAR-M therapeutics for oncology....'We look forward to completing IND-enabling studies with the lead candidate and are excited about the prospect of bringing this therapy forward for patients with advanced solid tumors together with Moderna.'"

Preclinical • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Carisma Presents Pre-Clinical Proof of Concept for in vivo CAR-M using mRNA platform in collaboration with Moderna at SITC (PRNewswire) - "Carisma Therapeutics Inc...today announced that it will present new findings at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting regarding its first-of-its-kind collaboration with Moderna. The collaboration aims to bring together Carisma's chimeric antigen receptor macrophage (CAR-M) platform with Moderna's mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies to generate and develop in vivo CAR-M therapeutics...Accepted as a late-breaking presentation...showcases data that demonstrate Carisma's CAR-M therapy can be directly produced in vivo, or within the body, successfully redirecting endogenous myeloid cells against tumor-associated antigens using mRNA/LNP. The pre-clinical data demonstrate feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy against metastatic solid tumors."

Late-breaking abstract • Preclinical • Oncology • Solid Tumor