The collaboration will explore EBV and HTLV-1 antigen-specific immune responses in immunological diseases

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexImmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: NEXI), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a novel approach to immunotherapy designed to orchestrate a targeted immune response by directing the function of antigen-specific T cells, today announced a collaboration with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The collaboration will focus on enriching and expanding virus-specific T cell populations and determining their activity against infected human cell lines. The goal of this collaboration is to develop adoptive cell therapies that may benefit patients afflicted with immunological disorders related to these viral infections. Initially, we will focus our efforts on studying Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Human T-cell Leukemia Virus, type 1 (HTLV-1).

“NexImmune is committed to developing novel therapies for the treatment of oncology, infectious disease and autoimmune disorders,” said Kristi Jones, Chief Executive Officer of NexImmune. “Compelling evidence exists that several autoimmune diseases are mediated by virally-infected cells. Current therapeutic approaches in these diseases broadly target cell populations that may or may not be expressly involved in the disease.  NexImmune’s AIM platform has the potential to selectively target and eliminate EBV-infected B cells in multiple sclerosis (MS), or HTLV-1-infected cells in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM), which may offer a unique benefit over current approaches. We will be working with the NINDS to evaluate EBV and HTLV-1 as therapeutic targets in the pathophysiology of neurological immune diseases. This important collaboration will enable us to leverage the AIM platform to develop potentially innovative antigen-specific therapies for these patients.”

“There is a clear causal relationship between HLTV-1 infection and HTLV-1 Associated Myelopathy and a potential relationship between EBV infection and MS,” stated David Hafler, M.D., FANA, and member of NexImmune’s Scientific Advisory Board. “This work will help advance our understanding of the role immune responses to viral infection play in different neuroimmunological diseases.”

About NexImmune

NexImmune is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a novel approach to immunotherapy designed to employ the body’s own T cells to generate a specific, potent, and durable immune response.

NexImmune’s lead programs, NEXI-001, NEXI-002 and NEXI-003, are in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for the treatment of relapsed AML after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, multiple myeloma refractory to 3 or more prior lines of therapy and HPV-related cancers, respectively. NexImmune is also developing AIM nanoparticle constructs and modalities for potential clinical evaluation in oncology and in disease areas outside of oncology, including autoimmune disorders and infectious disease.

The backbone of NexImmune’s approach is a proprietary Artificial Immune Modulation (AIM™) nanoparticle technology platform. The AIM technology enables NexImmune to construct nanoparticles that function as synthetic dendritic cells capable of directing a specific T cell-mediated immune response. AIM constructed nanoparticles employ natural biology to engage, activate and expand endogenous T cells in ways that combine anti-tumor attributes of antigen-specific precision, potency and long-term persistence with reduced potential for off-target toxicities.

For more information, visit www.neximmune.com

About The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and its Viral Immunology Section

Created by the U.S. Congress in 1950, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has occupied a central position in the world of neuroscience for over 70 years. The mission of NINDS is to reduce the burden of neurological disease—a burden borne by every age group, every segment of society, and people all over the world.

To accomplish this goal, the Institute supports and conducts basic, translational, and clinical research on the healthy and diseased nervous system; fosters the training of investigators in the basic and clinical neurosciences; and seeks better understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neurological disorders.

The Viral Immunology Section studies the role of human viruses in the pathogenesis of chronic progressive neurologic disease. As part of its work, the laboratory is studying virological, immunological, and molecular mechanisms associated with the human T lymphotropic virus type-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and the association of virus in multiple sclerosis.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on the beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management of NexImmune, Inc. (the “Company”). All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements concerning our planned and ongoing clinical studies for the Company’s product candidates, including NEXI-001 and NEXI-002; the initiation, enrollment, timing, progress, release of data from and results of those planned and ongoing clinical studies; and the utility of prior preclinical and clinical data in determining future clinical results. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 31, 2021, and subsequent reports that we file with the SEC. Forward-looking statements represent the Company’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release to conform any of the forward-looking statements to actual results or to changes in its expectations.

Contacts

Investors:
Chad Rubin, SVP Corporate Affairs
NexImmune, Inc.
646.319.3261
crubin@neximmune.com