GC Cell Obtains Australian Patent for Anti-HER2-CAR

GC Cell CI (Photo by GC Cell)

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] GC Cell announced on the 20th that it has obtained an Australian patent for anti-HER2 antibodies and CARs (chimeric antigen receptors) containing them. This is the first time the related patent has been registered, and patent applications have also been filed in five countries including the United States.

Through this patent, GC Cell has secured the rights to its proprietary anti-HER2-CAR, which consists of a CAR structure optimized for activation within NK cells and a highly selective anti-HER2 extracellular domain. The most notable feature of the anti-HER2-CAR is that it binds to an epitope different from that of trastuzumab, a targeted anticancer drug widely used for HER2-overexpressing cancers, allowing for expected synergistic effects when used in combination with trastuzumab.

HER2 is a type of oncogene that encodes a receptor protein for specific growth factors that promote cell growth. It is one of the representative expression factors of breast cancer.

The HER2-CAR-NK therapy 'AB201' currently being developed by GC Cell is preparing for clinical trials in the United States through its American affiliate Artiva. It aims to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the second half of this year. This patent registration is significant as it secures essential intellectual property (IP) rights for the commercialization of AB201.

Hwang Yukyung, head of GC Cell’s Cell Therapy Research Institute, said, “AB201 is a key pipeline that led to the technology transfer contract with Artiva,” adding, “It is expected to achieve groundbreaking results in the field of solid tumors such as breast and stomach cancer, and securing this IP is meaningful as it establishes a platform technology that can lead to additional achievements.”