Cynata Therapeutics Completes Patent Application to Cover Cymerus™ Stem Cell Technology in the Treatment of Side Effects Related to CAR-T Therapy

• Initial data from preclinical study at the University of Massachusetts Amherst demonstrate Cymerus MSCs ameliorate the effects of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and other related adverse reactions to CAR-T therapy
  
  
• License option agreement with apceth GmbH to be discontinued

MELBOURNE, Australia, April 20, 2018 -- Australian stem cell and regenerative medicine company, Cynata Therapeutics Limited (ASX:CYP), today announced that it has completed the filing of a patent application with IP Australia that would cover the therapeutic use of its Cymerus™ stem cell technology in the treatment of adverse reactions associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy. This latest patent application follows on from an initial provisional patent application concerning this proposed use of the Cymerus technology, which the Company filed in April 2017.

Initial preclinical data from studies in mouse models of CAR-T therapy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst demonstrate Cymerus therapeutic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the potential to ameliorate the effects of CRS and other related adverse reactions, which can be associated with significant risk to patients and in some cases rapid death.

Dr. Kilian Kelly, Cynata’s Vice President, Product Development, said, “CAR-T therapies have demonstrated impressive responses in patients with various types of advanced cancer, in particular blood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma.  However, CAR-T therapy can lead to potentially fatal and unpredictable adverse reactions, especially cytokine release syndrome, which may severely limit its uptake.  Initial preclinical data suggest our Cymerus mesenchymal stem cells may play an important role in managing the toxic side effects of CAR-T therapy, which, in turn, could substantially increase its utility and improve patient outcomes. We are thrilled to expand the therapeutic application of Cymerus into this innovative and exciting area of oncology and are continuing to evaluate the benefits of our MSCs in association with CAR-T treatment in ongoing preclinical studies.”

Separately, Cynata today announced that its license option agreement with apceth GmbH & Co. KG has been discontinued. Cynata continues to work with its development, commercialisation and research partners to advance Cymerus to patients in areas of unmet need, as well as to seek opportunities to expand its pipeline in cancer and other therapeutic areas that may benefit from stem cell therapy.

About Cynata Therapeutics (ASX:CYP)
Cynata Therapeutics Limited (ASX:CYP) is an Australian clinical-stage stem cell and regenerative medicine company developing therapies based on its proprietary Cymerus™ stem cell technology platform. Cymerus overcomes critical issues in the production of therapeutic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by enabling the economical manufacture of commercial-scale MSCs, independent of multi-donor limitations. Cymerus’ novel approach utilises induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a single blood donation to generate mesenchymoangioblasts (MCAs), a precursor that is used to manufacture an unlimited number of therapeutic MSCs. Cynata’s unique “off-the-shelf” Cymerus platform has the potential to create a new standard in the development and manufacture of stem cell therapeutics.