A Phase 1/2 Study of NKX019, a CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer (CAR NK) Cell Therapy, in Subjects With Immune-Mediated Diseases
This is a Phase 1/2, open-label, multi-center, multi-cohort, non-randomized dose escalation and dose expansion basket study to determine the safety and tolerability of NKX019 (allogeneic CAR NK cells targeting CD19) in participants with autoimmune diseases.
• Age ≥18 and ≤70
• For participants taking corticosteroids, the prednisone (or equivalent) dose must be ≤40 mg/day at 6 weeks prior to Screening and stable for ≥ 14 days before start of Screening
• For subjects on immunosuppressives or immunomodulators (other than corticosteroids), all doses must be stable for ≥ 4 weeks prior to Screening
⁃ SSc:
• Meets the 2013 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) classification criteria for SSc
• Meet criteria a and/or b:
‣ Severe skin involvement defined as mRSS ≥ 30 or active skin disease defined as mRSS ≥ 15 at screening and one or more of the following within the prior 6 months of screening:
• An increase in mRSS of ≥ 3 units
∙ Involvement of 1 new body area with ≥ 2 mRSS units
∙ 2 new body areas with ≥ 1 mRSS unit
⁃ Moderate to severe Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) defined by evidence of ILD on High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and FVC \< 70% of predicted or DLCO (hemoglobin or alveolar volume corrected) \< 70% of predicted or ILD on HRCT and progressive ILD meeting at least 2 of the following 3 criteria within the prior 6 months of screening:
• Worsening respiratory symptoms
∙ Evidence of progression on HRCT, or
∙ Evidence of absolute decline in FVC ≥ 5% (Raghu et al 2022)
• Presence of anti-nuclear antibody ≥ 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
• 10 years or less since the first non-Raynaud's sign or symptom
• Inadequate response or intolerance to at least one treatment, including cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, MMF/mycophenolic acid, nintedanib, rituximab, or tocilizumab
⁃ IIM:
• Diagnosis for IIM as per 2017 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria
• One positive myositis antibody
• Activity defined as manual muscle testing (MMT-8) score \<136/150
• Creatinine kinase or aldolase ≥ 1.5 x ULN and Clinician Global Assessment ≥ 2 cm with at least one of the following:
‣ Evidence on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of active myositis within the last 6 months
⁃ Electromyography (EMG) with active myositis within the last 6 months
⁃ Muscle Biopsy of active myositis within last 6 months
• Refractory disease defined as ≥ 6 months failure (or intolerance) to at least 2 immunosuppressive therapies (including glucocorticoids)
⁃ AAV:
• Meets the 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) (Robson 2022) or Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA) (Suppiah 2022)
• Relapsed or refractory AAV despite repeated treatment with immunosuppressive agents or requiring prolonged and/or repeated courses of unacceptable doses of glucocorticoids to maintain disease control
• Positive test for anti-proteinase-3 (PR3-ANCA) or anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO-ANCA) at screening
• Have at least one major item, or at least 3 other items, or at least 2 renal items on the BVAS version 3