Elpis Biopharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing bispecific armored CAR-T therapies for solid tumors, today announced entry into a research collaboration agreement with Singapore General Hospital (SGH). The agreement focuses on the development of next generation allogeneic CAR technologies, including an armored CAR-γδT (gamma-delta-T), targeting acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a bi-specific CAR-γδT for multiple myeloma (MM).

Under the terms of the research collaboration agreement, Elpis will contribute the bispecific and armored CAR technologies to SGH via a technology transfer, which was completed at the end of April. SGH will leverage its unique γδT platform and clinical expertise to advance the development of each asset into separate investigator-initiated trials. Should the data be favorable, both parties have expressed a mutual intention to explore the formation of a joint venture to further develop and commercialize the therapies.

"CAR-γδTs represent the cutting edge of cancer therapy given the potential of such technologies to span the entirety of the immune system," stated Assistant Professor Alice Cheung, Junior Principal Investigator, Department of Haematology, and study scientific lead at SGH.

"Through our research collaboration with Elpis, we aim to develop potent and durable cell therapies for AML and MM. By leveraging robust immune modulation, our goal is to enhance antitumor activity and ultimately improve clinical outcomes," said Assistant Professor Chen Yunxin, Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology, and study clinical lead at SGH.

Elpis has developed a suite of integrated, proprietary technologies that work in concert to unlock the full therapeutic potential of CAR-T in multiple tumor settings and immune cell modalities. These innovations aim to overcome the most significant challenges in tumor treatment: immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and antigen heterogeneity. The precision engineered cell type specific armor modulates the persistence of the CAR engineered immune cells and bystander immune cell activities.

"At Elpis, we are taking CAR-γδTs to the 'next generation' by combining cell type-specific multi-mechanism armor and bi-specific tumor targeting antibodies," stated Yan Chen, MD, PhD, founder and CEO of Elpis Biopharmaceuticals. "These innovations are designed to overcome multiple resistance mechanisms to deliver safer, more effective, and persistent therapies at a significantly reduced cost compared to autologous CAR-Ts. We are excited to align with SGH and its researchers to initiate clinical trials investigating our therapies for the treatment of AML and multiple myeloma."