Strategic Alliance Targets Breakthrough in Solid Tumor Cell-Based Immunotherapy

Imugene Ltd (IMU.AX) has forged a co-development alliance with JW Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd (2126.HK), a prominent biotech player focused on cell-based immunotherapies. This collaboration aims to assess whether combining Imugene’s oncolytic virus CF33-CD19 (onCARlytics) with JW’s Carteyva—a CD19-directed autologous CAR-T cell therapy—can effectively address advanced solid tumors.

“Mark and Kill” Strategy Pioneered

Traditional CAR-T therapies have demonstrated remarkable success in hematologic malignancies but face significant hurdles when targeting solid tumors. Imugene’s CF33-CD19 virus addresses this limitation through an innovative approach: the virus induces CD19 expression on tumor cells, essentially “marking” them for destruction by CD19-CAR-T therapies. This dual-mechanism strategy represents a novel pathway to expand CAR-T efficacy beyond blood-based cancers.

Clinical Development Pathway

The partnership will progress through multiple stages. Initial work involves preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies to validate the combination’s feasibility and safety profile. Following successful preclinical data, the collaboration will advance to a Phase 1 investigator-initiated trial, conducted exclusively at leading CAR-T clinical centers throughout China. This phased approach allows researchers to systematically evaluate whether the “mark and kill” mechanism can successfully translate from laboratory settings to clinical benefit.

Expanding Treatment Horizons

The collaboration represents a significant step toward unlocking CAR-T therapy’s potential in solid tumors—a domain where current immunotherapies often struggle. By leveraging Imugene’s viral engineering expertise alongside JW Therapeutics’ CAR-T development capabilities, the partnership positions itself to advance a potentially transformative treatment option for patients with advanced solid tumors.