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A2 Bio Identifying Solid Tumor Patients for Possible Inclusion in Phase 1 Studies Targeting CEA and Mesothelin Expected to Begin in 2023: Update at SITC 2022

Pre-screening study BASECAMP-1, is actively enrolling patients whose tumors have permanently lost HLA-A*02

Agoura Hills, Calif. (November 7, 2022) – A2 Biotherapeutics, Inc., “A2 Bio”, is a biotechnology company focused on the development of first-in-class T cell therapeutics to tackle the fundamental challenge in solid tumor treatment—the ability of cancer medicines to selectively kill tumor cells while protecting normal cells.

A2 Bio today announced four poster presentations showcasing: (1) BASECAMP-1, a master pre-screening trial to identify patients whose tumors have permanently lost HLA-A*02 (NCT04981119); (2) use of the Tempus xT Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) diagnostic to identify such patients; (3) data for A2 Bio’s lead program, A2B530, targeting CEA Cell Adhesion Molecule 5 (CEA); and (4) data for A2 Bio’s second program, A2B694, targeting mesothelin (MSLN).

A2 Bio’s logic‑gated cell therapy utilizes dual receptors (an activator and blocker) and has demonstrated in vitro and in vivo the ability to kill tumor cells via the activator while protecting healthy cells via the blocker.  Patients who may benefit from this therapy can be identified by using the Tempus diagnostic to pre-screen patients whose tumors have lost HLA-A*02.  Once patients are identified, their T cells may be banked early in their disease course for potential utilization in a Phase 1 study in the event of relapse.

“The unmet medical need in lung, colorectal and particularly pancreatic cancer remains extremely high. BASECAMP-1 is a non-interventional pre-screening trial that identifies eligible patients and banks their T cells. If the patients have the misfortune to relapse or progress, A2 Bio will have their cells ready to be manufactured and dosed in our upcoming Phase 1 studies targeting CEA and MSLN,” said William Go, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of A2 Bio.

Diane Simeone, MD, Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center, Perlmutter Professor of Surgery at NYU and Principal Investigator on the study, stated “BASECAMP-1 is an exciting trial that identifies patients with limited treatment options for a new and unique logic-gated CAR-T immunotherapy approach. We are thrilled to enroll patients at BASECAMP-1 and get them prepped for potential inclusion in Phase 1 studies in 2023.”

The four poster presentations will be given on November 10, 2022 at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 37th Annual Meeting in Boston, MA.

Details of the posters being presented on November 10, 2022 from 9am-9pm EST at the Poster Hall:

Title: BASECAMP-1: Leveraging HLA loss of heterozygosity in solid tumors by NGS to identify patients with relapsed solid tumors for future CEA and MSLN logic-gated Tmod CAR T-cell therapy
Poster Number: 639
Presenter:   Diane Simeone, MD, Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center, Perlmutter Professor of Surgery at NYU and Chair of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s (PanCAN) National Scientific and Medical Advisory Board

Title: An NGS assay to identify HLA loss of heterozygosity for future CEA and MSLN logic-gated CAR-T solid tumor protocols designed for reduced on-target, off-tumor toxicity
Poster Number: 77
Presenter: Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD – Deputy Chair and Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Title: A2B530, an autologous CEA-directed Tmod T-cell therapy with an inhibitory receptor gated by HLA-A*02 to target colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancer
Poster Number: 229
Presenter: J. Randolph Hecht, MD, Carol and Saul Rosenzweig Chair for Cancer Therapies Development, the Director of the UCLA Gastrointestinal Oncology Program and Professor of Clinical Medicine in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Title: A2B694, an autologous logic-gated cell therapy targeting mesothelin
Poster Number: 263
Presenter: Julian Molina, MD, PhD – Professor of Oncology and Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester

ePosters will be released for viewing on November 10 at 7:00 am ET and can be viewed from the A2 Bio website (https://www.a2bio.com/science/abstracts-and-publications/)

About A2 Biotherapeutics 

A2 Biotherapeutics has invented the Tmod™ cell therapy platform to tackle the fundamental challenge in solid tumor treatment—the ability of cancer medicines to distinguish between tumor and normal cells.  The Tmod™ mechanism utilizes two receptors to exploit common, specific gene losses in tumors that distinguish tumor from normal cells. A2 is positioned to deliver a broad pipeline of both autologous and allogeneic cell products, with in-house cGMP manufacturing, a leadership team with 90+ years combined experience in biotech and cell therapy, and a world-class scientific advisory board. A2 is backed by investors that include The Column Group, Vida Ventures, Samsara BioCapital, Nextech Invest, Casdin Capital, Euclidean Capital, UC Investments (Office of the Chief Investment Officer of the Regents), Hartford HealthCare Endowment, StepStone Group, Schroders, Section 32 and Merck.

For more information, please visit www.a2bio.com and linkedin.com/a2-biotherapeutics.