Orca Bio’s Orca-T® Meets Primary Endpoint in the Pivotal Precision-T Phase 3 Clinical Study for Hematologic Malignancies

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

February 10, 2025

Orca Bio’s Orca-T® Meets Primary Endpoint in the Pivotal Precision-T Phase 3 Clinical Study for Hematologic Malignancies

Orca Bio to present efficacy and safety data with Orca-T compared to conventional hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) at the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT

MENLO PARK, CA, February 10, 2025  Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today announced it will present positive results from the pivotal Phase 3 Precision-T study (NCT05316701) of its investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-T, in people with hematologic malignancies at the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT held March 30-April 2, 2025 in Florence, Italy. 

The randomized Precision-T study evaluated the safety, efficacy and tolerability of Orca-T in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) compared to a conventional allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT). The Precision-T study met the protocol-specified primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in survival free of moderate-to-severe chronic graft versus host disease (cGvHD) with Orca-T versus alloHSCT.

Session details follow:

Oral Session: OS15 Oral Session 15 | GVHD (II)

Title: Orca-T® Demonstrates Improved Survival Free of Chronic GVHD Compared to Conventional Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: A Randomized Phase 3 Trial in Advanced Hematologic Malignancies

Date and Time: April 2, 2025 at 10:30AM CEST

Location: Michelangelo (S-1)

“The Precision-T study marks a critical milestone in our mission to redefine the treatment landscape for patients facing aggressive blood cancers like AML, MDS and ALL, and we eagerly await the opportunity to share the results at EBMT,” said Ivan Dimov, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer at Orca Bio. “We look forward to discussing the Phase 3 findings with the FDA as we advance toward our ultimate goal of bringing Orca-T to the patients who need it most.”

“The annual meeting of the EBMT is one of the largest and most prestigious international congresses for exchanging groundbreaking clinical advancements in the cell therapy space,” said Everett Meyer, M.D., Ph.D., presenting author and primary investigator, hematologist, associate professor of medicine of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at Stanford Health Care. “I am excited and honored to present efficacy and safety data from the pivotal Phase 3 Precision-T study."

Information on two additional oral sessions accepted for presentation at EBMT follow: 

Oral Session: OS03 Oral Session 3 | ATMP Preclinical and Clinical

Title: Observational Comparison of Overall Survival Between Phase 1b Orca-T® and Registry-Based Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Patients

Date and Time: March 31, 2025 at 2:30PM CEST

Location: Cavaniglia 2

Oral Session: OS01 Oral Session 1 | Viral Infections

Title: Differential Immune Reconstitution Profiles Between Orca-T® and CD34 Allograft Recipients Provide Insight for Control of Viral Infections

Date and Time: March 31, 2025 at 2:30PM CEST

Location: Roma (S1)

The program for the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT is now available at https://www.ebmt.org/annual-meeting-2025. 

About Precision-T

Precision-T (NCT05316701) is a randomized, open-label multi-center study that evaluated the safety, efficacy and tolerability of Orca Bio’s lead investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-T, compared to conventional allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT). Orca Bio received guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the design of Precision-T, which evaluated Orca-T in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL). There are 19 leading treatment centers participating in the trial, which enrolled 187 patients across the U.S.

About Orca-T

Orca-T is an investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies. Orca-T is comprised of highly purified regulatory T-cells, CD34+ stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors. Orca-T is currently being evaluated in Precision-T, a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, which has completed enrollment at leading transplant centers across the U.S. Orca-T has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products designed to replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one. At Orca Bio, we are on a mission to redefine what’s possible for patients by transforming the field of curative allogeneic cell therapy. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com

Orca Bio to Present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

January 6, 2025

Orca Bio to Present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

MENLO PARK, CA, January 6, 2025  Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today announced that Ivan Dimov, Ph.D., Orca Bio’s co-founder and chief executive officer, will present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, CA.

The company presentation will take place on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 8:00AM PST at the Westin St. Francis in the Golden Gate Room on the 32nd floor.

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our investigational products are designed to replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, with the goal of improving outcomes with fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com

Orca Bio Presents Three-Year Survival Data with Orca-T® in Patients with Hematological Malignancies at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

December 8, 2024

Orca Bio Presents Three-Year Survival Data with Orca-T® in Patients with Hematological Malignancies at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting

Three-year overall survival with Orca-T allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy was 86% for patients with AML, ALL and MDS compared to 67% in a non-randomized historical cohort of post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy)
Reduced non-relapse mortality and increased relapse-free survival seen with Orca-T compared to PTCy at one-year
In a second oral presentation, early feasibility data were presented on the combination of Orca-T and allogeneic CAR-T cells in patients with high-risk B-ALL
Orca-T is being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial versus a conventional allogeneic stem cell transplant with data expected in the first half of 2025

MENLO PARK, CA, December 8, 2024  Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today presented positive long-term data on its lead investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-T, at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

Three-Year Survival Data with Orca-T vs PTCy

The results of a three-year follow-up analysis with Orca-T plus single-agent tacrolimus (TAC) showed encouraging overall survival (OS) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). These results also showed an improvement when compared to a historical cohort of patients receiving an allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-based graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis.

“With the current standard of care, physicians must carefully balance the risk of relapse with the risk of toxicities when treating patients with serious hematological malignancies, as both impact overall survival,” said presenting author Caspian Oliai, MD, medical director of the UCLA Bone Marrow Transplantation Stem Cell Processing Center. “The preliminary results with Orca-T have been promising, and now observational outcomes show sustained improvement in comparison to a similar cohort of patients who received a conventional alloHSCT with PTCy at one, two and three years. These data add to the growing body of evidence suggesting Orca-T could potentially offer an important new treatment option for patients.”

This analysis from the multicenter Phase 1b clinical trial evaluated a subset of patients (n=77) who received Orca-T with TAC. These outcomes were compared to patients from a CIBMTR literature-based cohort (n=293) who received alloHSCT with a PTCy-based GvHD prophylaxis regimen. All patients across both groups received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) and used a related or unrelated fully matched donor. These subsets of patients were selected based on disease, disease status and conditioning regimens that most closely resemble the patients enrolled in the ongoing pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating Orca-T.

The analysis included patients who had a median follow-up time of 33 months (range 5-54 months) and 24 months (range 0-53 months) in the Orca-T Phase 1b and PTCy cohorts, respectively. The OS at 12, 24 and 36 months (p=0.0021) are summarized in the table below:

Phase 1b Orca-T plus TAC OS AlloHSCT with PTCy OS
1 Year 96% (range 88%-99%; 95% CI) 82% (range 78%-87%; 95% CI)
2 Year 88% (range 78%-94%; 95% CI) 73% (range 68%-79%; 95% CI)
3 Year 86% (range 73-92%; 95% CI) 67% (range 61%-74%; 95% CI)

Further analyses of these patient subsets found Orca-T may reduce non-relapse mortality (NRM) and increase relapse-free survival (RFS) compared to PTCy. At one year, NRM was 1.4% in the Orca-T group and 7.4% in the PTCy cohort. The rate of RFS at one year was 83% and 71% for patients receiving Orca-T and PTCy, respectively. Results also found that age had no significant impact on OS at one year. For patients receiving Orca-T, OS was 95% (88%-100%) in patients under the age of 50 and 97% (92%-100%) in patients over the age of 50. For patients in the PTCy cohort, OS was 86% (81%-92%) in patients under the age of 50 and 77% (70%-85%) in patients over the age of 50. 

Across all patients in the Phase 1b trial, Orca-T was manufactured reliably and delivered with vein-to-vein times of 72 hours or less across the U.S.

“We’re pleased to present positive long-term follow-up data for Orca-T as these findings provide valuable insight into how the cell therapy performs over extended periods of time,” said Scott McClellan, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Orca Bio. “As we eagerly await the results of our pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating Orca-T in a similar patient population, we are one step closer to gathering the information needed for BLA submission and toward potentially making a significant difference for patients.”

Combining Orca Bio Approach with CAR-T Technology

A second oral presentation highlighted initial feasibility, safety and efficacy data from an investigator-sponsored Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating OrCAR-T, a platform that combines the Orca Bio technology with CAR-T technology. This presentation highlighted data following treatment with Orca-T and allogeneic CD19/CD22 CAR-T cells in patients with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).

B-ALL remains incurable for many patients despite treatment with an alloHSCT or autologous CAR-T cells, which can also lead to serious complications including GvHD, infections and CAR-related toxicities. Preliminary results for 10 patients treated with OrCAR-T who reached the primary endpoint of 42 days post-treatment showed neutrophil and platelet engraftment at 14 days. At a median follow up of 381 days (range 61-762 days, including 6 patients with >12 months of follow-up) across three dose escalation levels (1x106 CAR+ cells/kg; 2x106 CAR+ cells/kg; 3x106 CAR+ cells/kg), there were no cases of acute or chronic GvHD, no grade 3 or greater cytokine release syndrome and no neurotoxicity observed. 

These early findings suggest a single treatment that combines a high-precision cell therapy like Orca-T with specific CAR-T cells has the potential to benefit patients with a range of hematologic diseases.


About Orca-T

Orca-T is an investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies. Orca-T is comprised of highly purified regulatory T-cells, CD34+ stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors. Orca-T is currently being evaluated in Precision-T, a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, which has completed enrollment at leading transplant centers across the U.S. Orca-T has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our investigational products are designed to replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, with the goal of improving outcomes with fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com

Orca Bio Presents Clinical Results on Use of Orca-Q without GvHD Prophylaxis in Patients with Hematological Malignancies at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

December 7, 2024

Orca Bio Presents Clinical Results on Use of Orca-Q® without GvHD Prophylaxis in Patients with Hematological Malignancies at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting

Orca-Q allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy with no GvHD prophylaxis in patients with matched donors demonstrated low rates of GvHD and non-relapse mortality

MENLO PARK, CA, December 7, 2024 Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today presented clinical findings on the use of Orca-Q, its investigational second-generation allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, without the use of any graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis in patients with diverse hematological conditions at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. 

Preliminary data from a subset of the multicenter Phase 1 clinical trial of Orca-Q in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and myelofibrosis (MF) showed encouraging patient outcomes without the use of GvHD prophylaxis, including low rates of GvHD, infection and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in patients with fully matched donors.

“With a conventional allogeneic stem cell transplant, patients typically receive a mix of strong immunosuppressive drugs to control GvHD. These can also lead to poor immune reconstitution and increase the risk of infections, organ damage and relapse,” said presenting author Mehrdad Abedi, MD, hematologist and professor of Medicine at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The possibility of achieving a cure without the need for preventative agents could expand the treatment landscape for patients with hematologic malignancies. While additional data is needed, these early findings suggest Orca-Q without GvHD prophylaxis may have the potential to transform our treatment approach.”

This analysis evaluated 14 patients enrolled in the HLA-identical donor dose expansion arm who received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) with Orca-Q and either busulfan, fludarabine and thiotepa (BFT) or total body irradiation-based conditioning (TBI). Across all patients, the median time to engraftment of neutrophils and platelets was 11 days and rates of GvHD and serious infections were low. In the subgroup of patients who received Orca-Q and BFT, there was no chronic GvHD of any grade and two cases of grade 2 acute GvHD. There were no cases of non-relapse mortality (NRM) reported across all 14 patients. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were both 85% among all patients, and both 90% in the BFT population. GvHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) was 77% and 90% across all patients and in the BFT group, respectively.

Across all patients, Orca-Q was manufactured reliably and delivered with vein-to-vein times of 72 hours or less across the U.S.

“Our team is inspired by the possibility of developing a product that could eliminate the need for GvHD prophylaxis while preserving safety and efficacy, a concept representing a significant advancement for hematology and beyond,” said Nate Fernhoff, PhD, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Orca Bio. “We are highly encouraged by these preliminary data which provide an early glimpse into the future therapeutic potential of Orca-Q.”

About Orca-Q

Orca-Q is Orca Bio’s second-generation investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies, including in patients with haploidentical donors. Orca-Q is a proprietary composition of stem cells combined with specific T-cell subsets derived from healthy donors and engineered by Orca Bio’s high-precision platform. 

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our investigational products are designed to replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, with the goal of improving outcomes with fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com


Orca Bio to Present Clinical Data on Its High-Precision Cell Therapies at the 66th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

November 5, 2024

Orca Bio to Present Clinical Data on Its High-Precision Cell Therapies at the 66th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

Long-term survival data with Orca-T will be presented for the first time in patients with AML, ALL and MDS

Early feasibility data on the combination of Orca-T and an allogeneic CAR-T in patients with high-risk B-ALL will be shown

A third oral presentation will highlight patient outcomes with Orca-Q without the use of any graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis in patients with hematologic malignancies 

MENLO PARK, CA, November 5, 2024 Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today announced that new clinical data will be presented in three oral sessions at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting from December 7-10 in San Diego, CA. 

Three-year survival data with Orca Bio’s lead investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-T, will be presented from the multicenter Phase 1b clinical trial of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Additionally, initial feasibility, safety and efficacy data from an investigator-sponsored trial evaluating the combination of Orca-T with allogeneic CD19/CD22-CAR-T cells in patients with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) will be shared. In a third oral session, data from a multicenter Phase 1 clinical trial will be presented from patients treated with Orca Bio’s second-generation investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-Q, in patients with hematologic malignancies without the use of any post-treatment graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis.

“We are pleased to present exciting new data from our lead clinical programs for patients with blood cancers, including three-year follow-up with Orca-T, our lead cell therapy candidate currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial,” said Ivan Dimov, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Orca Bio. “We also look forward to debuting the results of patients treated with Orca-Q without the use of any GvHD prophylaxis. Overall, these findings represent important progress toward our goal of delivering our high-precision approach to more patients who could potentially benefit.”

The ASH abstracts are now available at www.hematology.org. Details of the Orca Bio oral presentations follow:

Oral Session: 732. Allogeneic Transplantation: Disease Response and Comparative Treatment Studies: Finding the Ideal Donor and Graft: Going Beyond HLA

Title: Observational Comparison of Overall Survival between Phase 1b Orca-T and Registry-Based Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Patients

Abstract Number: 694

Date and Time: Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 5:15 PM PT

Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 6A

Oral Session: 704. Cellular Immunotherapies: Early Phase Clinical Trials and Toxicities: B Cell-directed CAR T Cell Therapies for ALL and for Autoimmunity

Title: Safe and Effective Combination of Donor-Derived, Allogeneic CD19/CD22-CAR T Cells with Myeloablative Graft-Engineered Allo-HCT for High-Risk B-ALL 

Abstract Number: 679

Date and Time: Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 4:30 PM PT

Location: Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, Marriott Grand Ballroom 2-4


Oral Session: 722. Allogeneic Transplantation: Acute and Chronic GVHD and Immune Reconstitution: Monitoring, Understanding and Optimizing GVHD Interventions

Title: Preliminary Safety and Efficacy of Myeloablative Orca-Q with No GvHD Prophylaxis for Treatment of Advanced Hematologic Malignancies

Abstract Number: 382

Date and Time: Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 4:45 PM PT

Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 6CF

About Orca-T

Orca-T is an investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies. Orca-T is comprised of highly purified regulatory T-cells, CD34+ stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors. Orca-T is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial which has completed enrollment at leading transplant centers across the U.S.  Orca-T has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Orca-Q

Orca-Q is Orca Bio’s second-generation investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies, including in patients with haploidentical donors. Orca-Q is a proprietary composition of stem cells combined with specific T-cell subsets derived from healthy donors and engineered by Orca Bio’s high-precision platform. 

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our investigational products are designed to replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, with the goal of improving outcomes with fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com


Orca Bio Announces Completion of Patient Enrollment for the Precision-T Phase 3 Study of Orca-T

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

June 5, 2024

Orca Bio Announces Completion of Patient Enrollment for the Precision-T Phase 3 Study of Orca-T

Precision-T over-enrolled with 187 total patients at 19 clinical trial sites across the U.S.

Topline results expected in 1H 2025

MENLO PARK, CA, June 5, 2024 Orca Bio, a biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today announced that it has completed enrollment in the pivotal Precision-T Phase 3 clinical study. 

A randomized, open-label multicenter study, Precision-T (NCT05316701) is evaluating the safety and efficacy of Orca Bio’s lead investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-T, compared to a standard of care allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Orca-T is a donor-derived product designed to replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one.

“Completing enrollment in our multicenter Phase 3 study of Orca-T is an important milestone toward our ultimate goal of delivering a potentially life-saving product to patients who have long had to settle for a standard of care that carries significant risks,” said Ivan Dimov, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Orca Bio. “We’re immensely grateful to the patients, their families and the trial site investigators who participated in our study, and look forward to sharing pivotal data in the near future with the broader blood cancer community.”

The primary endpoint of the Precision-T study is the rate of survival free from moderate-to-severe chronic graft versus host disease (GvHD). Secondary endpoints include time to moderate-to-severe chronic GvHD, graft-versus-host-disease and relapse-free survival (GRFS) and overall survival. Topline results from the study are expected in the first half of 2025. The study has enrolled 187 patients, exceeding the original target of 174 patients. 

Orca-T is designed to deliver improved outcomes for patients while overcoming the limitations of standard alloHSCT, which carries the risk of serious complications and treatment-related mortality. Orca-T uses highly purified regulatory T cells with the goal of reducing the tradeoff between the risk of relapse and the risk of serious toxicity, a primary objective of the cell therapy field. Orca-T has demonstrated promising results in early single-arm trials which were recently presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting the Annual Meeting of the EBMT, the 2024 Tandem Meetings of ASTCT® and CIBMTR® and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

More information about the Precision-T study can be found at www.precisiontstudy.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About Orca-T

Orca-T is an investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies. Orca-T is comprised of highly purified regulatory T-cells, CD34+ stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors. Orca-T is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial at leading transplant centers across the U.S. and has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and genetic blood disorders. Our investigational products are designed to safely replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, delivering significantly better outcomes with dramatically fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com and follow Orca Bio on X: @OrcaBio

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com


Orca Bio to Present Positive Clinical Outcomes with Orca-T in Patients with AML at 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

May 23, 2024

Orca Bio to Present Positive Clinical Outcomes with Orca-T in Patients with AML at 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Relapse-free survival and overall survival were 82.5% and 100% at 12 months, respectively, in 37 patients with AML, an aggressive form of blood cancer

Non-relapse mortality at 12 months was 0%

Orca-T is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial at leading treatment centers across the U.S.

MENLO PARK, CA, May 23, 2024 Orca Bio, a biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, today announced it will present new data at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, from May 31–June 4. The presentation will highlight outcomes of its lead investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, Orca-T, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). 

AML is an aggressive form of blood cancer and the most common acute leukemia in adults. There are an estimated 20,800 new diagnoses and nearly 11,200 deaths in the U.S. each year.

“Today, only a fraction of adults diagnosed with AML undergo curative treatment with standard of care allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant due to the serious and life-threatening risks often associated with it,” said Rawan Faramand, M.D., assistant member of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy at Moffitt Cancer Center. “These new findings suggest Orca-T has the potential to offer a cure with low rates of treatment-related mortality, and could provide an important option for patients with AML. With its goal of alleviating the tradeoff between the risk of relapse and the risk of toxicities observed with standard of care stem cell transplant, this novel approach has the potential to expand curative treatment to many more patients.”

A new subanalysis from the ongoing multi-center Phase 1b single-arm trial evaluated outcomes with Orca-T among a subgroup of 37 patients with AML who had a median age of 51 years and median follow-up of 14 months. All patients received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) with busulfan, fludarabine and thiotepa (BFT), followed by Orca-T and single-agent graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis with tacrolimus. At 12 months, results found relapse-free survival was 82.5% (95% CI: 65.0, 91.7) and non-relapse mortality was 0%. Overall survival was 100% (95% CI: 100, 100) at 12 months. The safety profile of Orca-T in this subgroup was consistent with the larger Phase 1b population with no new safety signals identified. Across all patients, Orca-T was manufactured reliably and delivered with vein-to-vein times of 72 hours or less across the U.S.

“We’re pleased to present at ASCO for the first time and share the latest findings that support the potential for Orca-T to offer a curative solution and fulfill a significant unmet need for patients with AML,” said Scott McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer at Orca Bio. “These data continue to advance our mission of expanding potentially life-saving treatment to patients and their providers who face limited viable options today.”

Details of the Orca Bio presentation follow:

Title: Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Orca-T

Session: Hematologic Malignancies—Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Allotransplant

Abstract Number: 6552

Poster Code: 111

Date and Time: June 3, 2024, from 9AM - 12PM CDT

Location: Oncology Professionals Hall

The ASCO abstracts are available at https://conferences.asco.org/am/abstracts

About Orca-T

Orca-T is an investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies. Orca-T is comprised of highly purified regulatory T-cells, CD34+ stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors. Orca-T is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial at leading transplant centers across the U.S. and has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and genetic blood disorders. Our investigational products are designed to safely replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, delivering significantly better outcomes with dramatically fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com and follow Orca Bio on X: @OrcaBio

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com


Orca Bio to Present Positive Clinical Data on Orca-T at the 50th Annual Meeting of the EBMT

Press release

Menlo Park, CA

April 11, 2024

Orca Bio to Present Positive Clinical Data on Orca-T at the 50th Annual Meeting of the EBMT

Presentations include data from an expanded group of older patients treated with Orca Bio’s investigational high-precision cell therapy, Orca-T, and reduced intensity conditioning

MENLO PARK, CA, April 11, 2024 Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and genetic blood disorders, today announced new data will be presented during the 50th Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Specifically, results from a single-center open-label Phase 1 clinical trial of an expanded group of older patients (n=20) treated with Orca Bio’s lead investigational high-precision cell therapy, Orca-T, and a reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen will be presented. Preliminary data with Orca-T and RIC in patients with hematologic malignancies showed encouraging rates of relapse-free survival (77%). With a median follow-up of 9.65 months, no patients have experienced relapse to date (0%), demonstrating the curative potential for Orca-T in this historically challenging to treat patient group. An earlier dataset evaluating Orca-T and RIC in this population was presented at the 2023 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

A second presentation will highlight findings from a non-randomized retrospective analysis comparing Orca-T plus single-agent tacrolimus with a standard of care allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) plus post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-based graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis in patients with hematologic malignancies receiving myeloablative conditioning (MAC). When compared to the historical PTCy cohort in this patient population, Orca-T offered potentially favorable rates of relapse-free survival, non-relapse mortality and overall survival. These data were previously presented at the 2024 Tandem Meetings, Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). 

“At Orca Bio, we continue to build clinical evidence to support the profile of Orca-T and its potential to expand life-saving treatment to patients while also reducing treatment-related risks,” said Scott McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer at Orca Bio. “We look forward to joining top healthcare professionals from around the world at EBMT and sharing the latest findings that support the potential for Orca-T to offer a new curative solution for providers and their patients.”

The EBMT abstracts are available at https://www.ebmt.org/

Details of the Orca Bio presentations follow:

Title: Phase 1 Trial Results for Patients with Advanced Hematologic Malignancies Treated with Orca-T Cell Therapy with Reduced Intensity Conditioning and Single Agent Tacrolimus 

Poster Code: A121

Date and Time: Monday, April 15, 2024 at 18:00 BST

Location: Hall 3 North

Title: A Retrospective Analysis Comparing Orca-T to Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Based Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Patients with Matched Unrelated Donors Receiving Myeloablative Conditioning

Poster Code: A107

Date and Time: Monday, April 15, 2024 at 18:00 BST

Location: Hall 3 North


About Orca-T

Orca-T is an investigational high-precision allogeneic cell therapy being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies. Orca-T includes infusions containing regulatory T-cells, CD34+ stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors. Orca-T is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial at leading transplant centers across the U.S. and has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Orca Bio

Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company developing high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and genetic blood disorders. Our investigational products are designed to safely replace a patient’s diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one, delivering significantly better outcomes with dramatically fewer risks than the standard of care. Our manufacturing platform uses single-cell precision to create proprietary, uniquely-defined products that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. At Orca Bio, our mission is to make curative cell therapies both more effective and safer, and in doing so, push past the field’s current boundaries and redefine its future. For more information, visit www.orcabio.com and follow Orca Bio on Twitter: @OrcaBio

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Kelsey Grossman

media@orcabio.com

Investor Relations

Joshua Murray

ir@orcabio.com