NKGen Biotech Highlights SNK01 in Combination with Keytruda Demonstrating Significantly Improved Progression-Free Survival in NSCLC Patients

Recently, NKGen Biotech announced positive data from a Phase 1/2a clinical trial of its autologous natural killer (NK) cell therapy, SNK01, in combination with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (marketed as Keytruda), for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The trial results showed that patients treated with the combination therapy had significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) compared to those treated with pembrolizumab alone.

This trial enrolled 18 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who had failed prior first-line platinum-based therapy. They were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either pembrolizumab monotherapy or pembrolizumab in combination with different doses of SNK01 (2x10^9 cells or 4x10^9 cells). The primary endpoint of the trial was safety, with secondary endpoints including objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival, overall survival, and quality of life.

▲NKGen Biotech's innovative NK cell immunotherapy uses high-purity NK cells extracted from the patient's blood, which are expanded and activated before being reinfused into the patient’s body. The aim is to enhance immune system function, eliminate infected or abnormal cells, and prevent disease recurrence (Image source: NKGen Biotech's official website).

Trial data showed that patients in the SNK01 combination therapy group achieved a statistically significant improvement in median PFS (6.2 months vs. 1.6 months; p=0.001), demonstrating that the combination therapy enhanced the antitumor activity of clinical treatment. Additionally, a dose-response effect was observed in the treatment outcomes: the PFS was 9.4 months for the 4x10^9 cell dose SNK01/pembrolizumab combination therapy group, compared to 1.6 months for the pembrolizumab group. No new safety signals were observed.

NKGen Biotech CEO Dr. Sangwoo Park stated: "We are very pleased to share the positive clinical data, demonstrating the safety and superior efficacy of our autologous NK cell therapy SNK01 in combination with pembrolizumab for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The trial results show that SNK01 can be safely combined with checkpoint inhibitors, leading to meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes for patients compared to the use of checkpoint inhibitors alone."

References:

[1] NKGen Biotech Announces Positive SNK01 Clinical Trial Results Presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2021 Annual Meeting. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://nkgenbiotech.com/nkgen-biotech-announces-positive-snk01-clinical-trial-results-presented-at-the-society-for-immunotherapy-of-cancer-sitc-2021-annual-meeting/

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