Poseida Therapeutics Announces New CAR-T Development Candidate Under Roche Collaboration
Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PSTX), a clinical-stage cell therapy company, has announced the nomination of a new allogeneic CAR-T therapy candidate as part of its collaboration with Roche. This new dual CAR-T candidate targets hematologic cancers, including multiple myeloma, a common and incurable blood cancer responsible for 12,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2021. With around 179,000 people living with myeloma in the U.S. and a global market projected to reach $23 billion, the demand for innovative treatments is significant. The nomination triggers a $15 million milestone payment to Poseida, extending the company’s cash runway into early 2026.
The new therapy utilizes Poseida’s non-viral DNA delivery system to insert two chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) into T stem cell memory cells (T SCM), offering a promising approach to treating blood cancers. This marks the third program under Poseida’s partnership with Roche, which began in 2022 to develop allogeneic CAR-T therapies for hematologic malignancies.
CEO Kristin Yarema, Ph.D., highlighted the potential of this therapy to offer a potent, safe, and accessible treatment for multiple myeloma. Poseida also plans to share updates on its broader CAR-T pipeline during its upcoming Cell Therapy R&D Day on November 14, 2024.
As of June 30, 2024, Poseida’s cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments totaled $237.8 million.
About Poseida Therapeutics, Inc.
Poseida Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing differentiated allogeneic cell therapies and genetic medicines with the capacity to cure. The Company’s pipeline includes investigational allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies for hematologic cancers, autoimmune diseases, and solid tumors, as well as investigational in vivo genetic medicines that address patient populations with high unmet medical need. The Company’s approach is based on its proprietary genetic editing platforms, including its non-viral transposon-based DNA Delivery System, Cas-CLOVER™ Site-Specific Gene Editing System, Booster Molecule and nanoparticle gene delivery technologies, as well as in-house GMP cell therapy manufacturing. The Company has formed strategic collaborations with Roche and Astellas to unlock the promise of cell therapies for cancer patients.
