SEATTLE, Nov. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies in oncology that address cancer immune resistance, announced today that it will host a virtual KOL event to discuss new data from the VISTA-101 clinical trial of KVA12123 in patients with advanced solid tumors. Details are as follows:

KOL Event to Review New Data from VISTA-101 Clinical Trial of KVA12123 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

Monday, December 5, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time
To register, click here.

The event will feature presentations from two key opinion leaders in immuno-oncology:

• Michael A. Curran, Ph.D., Associate Professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Immunology, who will discuss key challenges with current cancer therapies and the potential for VISTA blocking immunotherapy to reverse immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and drive anti-tumor activity.

• Evan Y. Yu, M.D., Professor and Medical Oncology Section Head at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, who will join Kineta leadership to discuss immuno-oncology clinical trials and review the new positive monotherapy data from the ongoing VISTA-101 Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating KVA12123, the company’s VISTA blocking immunotherapy, in patients with advanced solid tumors.

A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentations.

About Michael A. Curran, Ph.D.

Michael A. Curran, Ph.D. received a Ph.D. in Immunology from Stanford University where he was awarded the McDevitt prize for the best graduate thesis in his year. Dr. Curran was the first recipient of the prestigious American Cancer Society Levy Fellowship to fund his post-doctoral studies in the lab of Dr. James P. Allison. While pursuing his postdoctoral studies at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Curran published several influential manuscripts describing how T cell co-stimulatory pathways could be modulated in tandem to mediate immunologic rejection of melanomas in mice. Dr. Curran was the first to describe how combination blockade of the T cell co-inhibitory receptors CTLA-4 and PD-1 promoted the rejection of a majority of murine melanomas – a combination that remains the most effective FDA-approved immunotherapy.

At the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Curran is an Associate Professor of Immunology and his laboratory seeks to discover the underlying mechanisms of immune resistance in the “coldest” tumors, pancreatic and prostate adenocarcinoma and glioblastoma, so that rational therapeutic interventions can be developed to restore T cell infiltration and sensitivity to T cell checkpoint blockade. This research focuses on normalization of tumor oxygen metabolism to increase T cell metabolic fitness, activation of innate pro-inflammatory immune sensors capable of re-programming tumor myeloid stroma, and on discovery of novel immune checkpoint antibodies capable of depleting stromal elements responsible for T cell exclusion and function suppression.

About Evan Y. Yu, M.D.

Evan Y. Yu, M.D. is a medical oncologist specializing in GenitoUrinary malignancies, specifically prostate, bladder and testicular cancer treatment and research. He is the Section Head for Cancer Medicine, Clinical Research Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and serves as the Medical Director for Clinical Research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Consortium. In addition, Dr. Yu is a Professor at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. He is the institution’s Principal Investigator for the National Cancer Trials Network Lead Academic Performance Site (LAPS) Grant, Southwest Oncology Group and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-American College of Radiology Imaging Network. Dr. Yu is also the Core Director for the Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence and co-principal investigator of the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium for his institution. He graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Yu’s research focuses on testing the next wave of novel molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapy techniques, with a complementary focus on imaging biomarkers. Previously, Dr. Yu served as a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program Director for a decade at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He has regularly been voted a “Top Doctor” by Castle Connolly, U.S. News and World Report, Seattle magazine, and Seattle Met magazine. He has served for many years on the National Cancer Institute Genitourinary Cancers Steering Committee and is currently the Co-Chair for the National Cancer Institute Prostate Cancer Task Force. Dr. Yu has held various leadership and committee roles within ASCO and AACR, and he also serves as a senior editor for Clinical Cancer Research and Uro-Today.

About Kineta

Kineta (Nasdaq: KA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a mission to develop next-generation immunotherapies that transform patients’ lives. Kineta has leveraged its expertise in innate immunity and is focused on discovering and developing potentially differentiated immunotherapies that address the major challenges with current cancer therapy. The company’s immuno-oncology pipeline includes KVA12123, a novel VISTA blocking immunotherapy currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors, and a preclinical monoclonal antibody targeting CD27. For more information on Kineta, please visit www.kinetabio.com, and follow Kineta on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The use of words such as, but not limited to, “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “future,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “anticipate,” or “could” and other similar words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based on Kineta’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of Kineta’s business, future plans and strategies, clinical results and other future conditions. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: the adequacy of Kineta’s capital to support its future operations (including its ability to complete the second tranche of the previously disclosed contemplated private placement) and its ability to successfully initiate and complete clinical trials; the difficulty in predicting the time and cost of development of Kineta’s product candidates; Kineta’s plans to research, develop and commercialize its current and future product candidates, including, but not limited to, KVA12123; the timing and anticipated results of Kineta’s planned pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and the risk that the results of Kineta’s pre-clinical studies and clinical trials may not be predictive of future results in connection with future studies or clinical trials; the timing of the availability of data from Kineta’s clinical trials; the timing of any planned investigational new drug application or new drug application; the risk of cessation or delay of any ongoing or planned clinical trials of Kineta or its collaborators; the clinical utility, potential benefits and market acceptance of Kineta’s product candidates; Kineta’s commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; developments and projections relating to Kineta’s competitors and its industry; the impact of government laws and regulations; the timing and outcome of Kineta’s planned interactions with regulatory authorities; Kineta’s ability to protect its intellectual property position; Kineta’s estimates regarding future revenue, expenses, capital requirements and need for additional financing; the intended use of proceeds from the registered direct offerings completed in April 2023 and October 2023; and those risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 11, 2023, August 11, 2023 and November 3, 2023, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors in Kineta’s subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. Except as required by law, Kineta undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as result of new information, future events or otherwise.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Kineta, Inc. :
Jacques Bouchy
EVP Investor Relations & Business Development
+1 206-378-0400
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Investor Relations:
John Mullaly
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
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