Amsterdam, the Netherlands – October 30, 2020 – LUMICKS is pleased to announce a collaboration agreement with clinical-stage biotech company Leucid Bio, which seeks to utilize LUMICKS’ z-Movi® Cell Avidity Analyzer (z-Movi®) to accelerate entry of immunotherapeutic candidates into clinical trials. The goal of the partnership is to evaluate the efficacy of Leucid Bio’s next-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells using the z-Movi® and demonstrate the high predictability of in vivo outcomes of the instrument.
“We are thrilled that the z-Movi® exceeded the initial expectations by reliably and quickly predicting the functionality of conventional CAR T-cells in vivo,” said Rogier Reijmers, Principal Scientist at LUMICKS. “Now, we’re excited to be part of the latest advancements and have our instrument streamlining the selection of the most effective next-generation CARs.”
Leucid Bio develops improved CAR T-cell therapies for solid and hematological malignancies, among which their latest products are based on a novel CAR model, called “parallel CAR” (pCAR). pCARs enhance T cell activation by introducing parallelly-coupled costimulatory domains (immune response activators) across the cell membrane, which elicits a superior response compared with conventional CARs. The companies will assess the cell avidity of pCARs for a quicker selection of lead candidates with improved anti-tumor activity.
John Maher, CSO at Leucid Bio, said “The z-Movi® system has enabled us to rapidly rank CAR T-cells containing distinct targeting moieties in terms of their avidity for target cells. Since this relies on CAR T-cell to target cell interaction rather than more artificial alternatives, it allows us to pick the “Goldilocks binders” that achieve superior performance.”
LUMICKS is looking forward to the new partnership, which will help propel exciting immunotherapeutic advances with the potential to combat malignancies that are notoriously difficult to treat. The collaboration also marks a crucial step for LUMICKS by demonstrating how the z-Movi® instrument is a critical asset for accelerating the pace of immunotherapeutic approvals.
About LUMICKS
LUMICKS is a leading life science tools company that develops equipment for dynamic single-molecule and cell avidity analysis, two rapidly emerging areas in biology research and immuno-oncology. LUMICKS’ tools allow researchers to build the crucial and as yet unfinished bridge between structure and function at both a molecular and a cellular level. This is achieved by applying and measuring forces around biological interactions, enabling the detailed real-time analysis of underlying biological mechanisms. LUMICKS’ C-Trap® Optical Tweezers – Fluorescence & Label-free Microscopy, allows scientists to analyze complex biological processes in real-time. Similarly, the z-Movi® Cell Avidity Analyzer enables the measurement and selection of immune cells based on their real-time interactions with target cells.
About Leucid Bio
Leucid Bio is a pioneering cell therapy company with a pipeline of novel cell therapies developed using its proprietary engine. Leucid’s focus is on the development of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapies for patients with solid tumours and no treatment options. The company is backed by 20 years of research history and is led by an experienced, involved management team, supported by a diverse team of passionate and committed staff.
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+31 (0) 63 482 09 48
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