[Click eStock] "NKMax, Complete Mastery of Keytruda and Bavencio... Expecting ASCO Results"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Hyundai Motor Securities analyzed on the 15th that NKMAX showed a complete response with Bavenzio combination clinical phase 1 in August last year, followed by a complete response with Keytruda on the 14th, and that the results to be announced at the ASCO conference in June are highly anticipated.

NKMAX is a company developing NK cell therapies by mass culturing autologous NK (Natural Killer) cells and re-administering them to patients. It is conducting combination administration clinical phase 1 trials targeting patients with low response rates to existing immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Separately from the phase 1 trial, two patients with refractory solid tumors are undergoing combination therapy of Merck’s Keytruda and NKMAX’s SNK01 under the FDA’s Expanded Access Program (EAP, drug administration before product approval).

Researcher Eom Minyong of Hyundai Motor Securities stated, “On the 14th, one of the EAP patients showed a 78% response in the liver in December last year, and it was announced that this patient achieved complete response, meaning the tumor was completely eliminated,” adding, “Following the complete response in the Bavenzio+SNK01 combination phase 1 trial in August last year, a complete response was also observed in the Keytruda combination therapy, which is particularly noteworthy as it targeted patients with terminal refractory solid tumors.”

Previously, NKMAX achieved a complete response in one out of 13 patients in the Bavenzio+SNK01 combination phase 1 trial targeting refractory solid tumor patients, and plans to announce additional results for two patients at the upcoming ASCO conference.

There is also a high possibility that results for three patients scheduled to receive Keytruda+SNK01 at the ASCO conference will be announced, and given the complete response observed under the EAP, it is analyzed that high efficacy results are likely to be presented.

Researcher Eom said, “This result is significant in that it represents a cure in a patient with terminal sarcoma, a refractory solid tumor growing in muscle and bone,” and analyzed, “Complete responses were observed in combination therapies involving both PD-1 (Keytruda under expanded access) and PD-L1 (Bavenzio, phase 1 trial), which are representative mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitors.”

He continued, “It is presumed that the PD-L1 expression level increased, converting patients into PD-L1 positive, thereby improving response rates and achieving complete responses in patients who previously did not respond to Keytruda and Bavenzio,” adding, “The combination administration of all main immune checkpoint inhibitors showed increased response rates, making the company’s ASCO conference results even more noteworthy.”