Onward Therapeutics is focused on advancing innovative cancer immunotherapies through a fast-track development model. Its portfolio includes a bispecific antibody (OT-A201) licensed from Biomunex, alongside an equity investment; and an allogeneic NK cell therapy (OT-C001) developed via its majority-owned subsidiary, Emercell.
The subsidiary has now received Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier (IMPD) approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of OT-C001, an allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell therapy, in combination with an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, Rituximab. The C00101 study will enroll patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), who have relapsed after, or are refractory to CAR-T cell therapy, or ineligible for CAR-T cell infusion. The trial will also examine cellular kinetics and biomarkers to characterize the specific mechanism associated with therapeutic responses.