Chimeric Therapeutics: Acquiring An Exciting New NK Cell Technology

Chimeric Therapeutics (ASX:CHM) has announced that it has entered into an exclusive option agreement to license the clinically validated, off the shelf, robust, enhanced natural killer (CORE-NK) cell platform from Case Western Reserve University for the treatment of cancer. The CORE-NK platform was designed to overcome the hurdles associated with NK cell development and enables the production of large numbers of highly active universal donor NK cells that are active in the body. The company expects to rapidly move to complete full licensing of the platform.

EPS Estimates

Improving NK cells

NK cells are naturally found within the body and are able to recognise and kill cancer cells, but efficacy when used in a therapeutic setting is often limited due to challenges in manufacturing enough of them to halt the growth of many cancers. CORE-NK cells are made by activating and expanding NK cells to make them more active and robust in large numbers.

Enabling an expansion of the pipeline

Besides using CORE-NK cells to target cancer directly, this licensure would allow for the creation of CAR-NK programs to augment the current CLTX CAR T and CDH17 CAR T programmes that are focused on solid tumours. Four new pipeline programmes are expected to be started in 2023 following the anticipated acquisition of the CORE-NK platform.

Positive low dose CHM 1101 data from Phase I

Data from the low dose cohort of four patients from the Phase I trial of CHM 1101 (CLTX CAR T) was presented in November at the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) annual meeting. Three out of four patients achieved stable disease that was durable for five to eight weeks. In one patient, there was no evidence of progression in the part of the brain in which CHM 1101 was infused intratumourally and progression was only seen in an area of the brain where it was not infused intertumourally.

Valuation: A$322m or $0.97 per share

We have adjusted our valuation from A$327m or A$0.99 per share to A$322m or A$0.97 per basic share, mainly due to lower net cash. Because the CORE-NK platform is not fully licensed and its associated products are not yet in the clinic, we are not including them in our valuation yet, in accordance with Edison methodology. Once included, they may have a meaningful impact upon the valuation due to the size of the markets targeted by the company.

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Business description

Chimeric Therapeutics is an oncology-focused Australian-based company that recently went public on the ASX. The lead programme is CHM 1101, currently in Phase I for the treatment of GBM. Beyond GBM, the technology may have applicability for other tumours such as melanoma. The company recently in-licensed a CDH17 CAR T for use in solid tumours and the CORE-NK platform, which may have broad applicability in cancer.

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