Immunome, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNM), a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics, today made an oral poster presentation on the company’s anti-interleukin-38 monoclonal antibody program at the joint meeting of the 2021 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held October 7-10, 2021.

The presentation highlighted that Immunome’s antibody:

• Binds to human IL-38 and inhibits binding to its putative receptors, IL1RAPL1 and IL-36R.
• Inhibits IL-38-mediated suppression of myeloid cell activity in vitro.
• Leads to inhibition of tumor growth in two different murine syngeneic tumor models treated with the antibody and induces protection following implantation of secondary tumors.

“Our data support the hypothesis that blockade of IL-38, which appears to act as an innate immune checkpoint, could reverse suppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment and may contribute to the treatment of multiple cancers with high unmet need,” said Purnanand Sarma, PhD, President & CEO of Immunome. “Our compelling preclinical data demonstrate the power of Immunome's platform to identify novel anti-tumor targets, such as IL-38.”

Presentation Details

Title: “IMM20324, a first-in-class, anti-interleukin-38 monoclonal antibody, rescues myeloid cell activation in vitro and induces robust anti-tumor responses in vivo.”

Authors: John P. Dowling, Pavel A. Nikitin, Fang Shen, James P. Finn, Nirja Patel, Cezary Swider, Jamie Steele, Halley Shukla, Matthew K. Robinson, Karen Lundgren & Benjamin C. Harman

Abstract Number: LBA022

Date/Time: All poster presentations are made available by the conference at the opening of the meeting on October 7, 2021, at 9:00am E.T.

About IL-38

Interleukin-38 (IL-38) is a member IL-1 family cytokines and antagonizes multiple proinflammatory pathways through its putative receptors IL-36R, IL1RAPL1, and IL-1R1. Ablation of the IL-38 gene in multiple autoimmune diseases models leads to delayed resolution of inflammation and exacerbation of disease. On the contrary, treatment with recombinant IL-38 leads to amelioration of inflammation. IL-38 is expressed in multiple cancer cells, especially under apoptotic conditions¹. In lung adenocarcinoma patients, high IL-38 protein expression in tumor is associated with poor prognosis, high expression of PD-L1, and reduced infiltration of CD8+ T cells². IL-38 is believed to be a key immune inhibitory cytokine in tumor microenvironment. Therefore, blockade of IL-38 is a potential therapeutic strategy to boost anti-tumor immune response. Immunome is developing an anti-IL-38 antibody therapeutic designed to block human IL-38 and potentially provide clinical benefit in multiple cancers .

¹Mora J et al., Journal of molecular cell biology. 2016 Oct 1;8(5):426-38.

²Takada K et al., PLoS One. 2017 Jul 20;12(7):e0181598.

About Immunome

Immunome is a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its proprietary human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics that are designed to change the way diseases are treated. The company’s initial focus is developing therapeutics to treat oncology and infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Immunome’s proprietary discovery engine identifies novel therapeutic antibodies and their targets by leveraging the highly educated components of the immune system, memory B cells, from patients whose bodies have learned to fight off their disease. For more information, please visit www.immunome.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain disclosures that contain “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding Immunome’s beliefs and expectations regarding the advancement of its COVID-19 therapeutic antibody programs, execution of its regulatory, clinical and strategic plans, anticipated upcoming milestones for IMM-BCP-01, including expectations regarding therapeutic potential and benefits thereof. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “anticipate,” believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “seek,” “potential” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on Immunome’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, those risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Immunome’s business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones; Immunome’s ability to execute on its strategy with respect to its R&D efforts, IND submissions and other regulatory filings, timing of these filings and governmental authority feedback regarding the same, initiation of clinical studies and other anticipated milestones as and when anticipated; the effectiveness of Immunome’s product candidates, including the possibility that further preclinical data and any clinical trial data may be inconsistent with the data used for advancing the product candidates; Immunome’s ability to fund operations; Immunome’s reliance on vendors; the competitive landscape; and the additional risks and uncertainties set forth more fully under the caption “Risk Factors” in Immunome’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 25, 2021, and elsewhere in Immunome’s filings and reports with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Immunome undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law.

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