Friday, September 08, 2023
Verily, a company specializing in precision health technology within the Alphabet umbrella, and Kyverna Therapeutics, a clinical-stage cell therapy firm dedicated to pioneering treatments for autoimmune disorders, have announced a multi-year partnership. This collaboration aims to identify new biomarkers and improve the design and execution of clinical trials.
In the initial phase of this collaboration, the primary focus will be on utilizing Verily's state-of-the-art immune mapping platform, called Immune Profiler. This platform will be employed to uncover biomarkers indicating treatment responses in autoimmune patients undergoing Kyverna's KYV-101, an autologous Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy presently in Phase 1 clinical trials in both the United States and Europe.
Charlie Kim, who serves as the head of molecular science at Verily, commented, "The use of CAR T-cells to deplete B cells represents a new frontier with the potential for a curative approach for autoimmune patients. Together, we will investigate the biological mechanisms behind the immune reset that leads to lasting therapeutic responses in these patients."
Immune Profiler is equipped with high-resolution molecular phenotyping and advanced computational analytics, enabling comprehensive scrutiny of various immune functions throughout the CAR T-cell therapy process. This provides invaluable insights into biological activity. Kyverna, on the other hand, brings a network of research-ready participants and an expanding sample library from treating autoimmune patients across multiple indications and geographic locations with KYV-101.
James Chung, Kyverna's chief medical officer, expressed enthusiasm about exploring their emerging patient dataset, which will provide a deeper understanding of the biology behind the immune reset following CAR T-cell therapy.
As part of the collaboration, Verily and Kyverna plan to implement digital tools and technology solutions to redefine evidence generation. This will involve a participant-centered study design that includes data collected from real-world settings in addition to data gathered directly from study sites. Moreover, tailored solutions will be developed to cater to the specific needs of autoimmune patients receiving CAR T-cell therapy.
Peter Maag, Kyverna's chief executive officer, emphasized their shared vision to revolutionize clinical research and enhance data collection from real-world settings that may contribute to regulatory decision-making.
Amy Abernethy, president of product development and chief medical officer at Verily, underscored the comprehensive nature of the collaboration, which combines Verily's robust molecular capabilities with a suite of tools for real-world evidence generation. This approach will provide a detailed understanding of the biology and participant experience associated with this innovative therapeutic approach for autoimmune diseases.
