• Presentation provides mechanistic insights and progress update on collaboration with the laboratory of Michael Dustin at the University of Oxford to study the role of IL-2 in the T cell immunological synapse formation using the IL-2 based CUE-100 series
  

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cue Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: CUE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engineering a novel class of injectable biologics to selectively engage and modulate targeted T cells directly within the patient’s body, announced today that the company’s therapeutic Immuno-STAT™ (Selective Targeting and Alteration of T cells) biologics are scheduled to be featured in an Oxford University poster presentation at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting taking place on February 19-23, 2022 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. Cue Biopharma entered into a strategic research collaboration with Dr. Michael Dustin and the University of Oxford in May 2020 to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying the activity of its IL-2 based CUE-100 series biologics.

Presentation Details
Title: Integration of IL-2 Signaling at the Immunological Synapse
Presenter: Dr. Jesusa Capera Aragones of the Kennedy Institute at the University of Oxford
Poster Session: Membrane Receptors and Signal Transduction
Poster #: 414/B238
Poster Location: Exhibit Hall ABC
Date & Time: February 20, 2022 at 1:45 p.m. PST or 4:45 p.m. EST

“It has traditionally been the view that cytokine signaling follows T cell receptor signaling, however this study demonstrates that antigen-T cell receptor signaling and cytokine signaling can work side-by-side to impact T cell responses through the immunological synapse,” said Dr. Dustin, professor of immunology and Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow, director of research of the Kennedy Institute at the University of Oxford.

Dr. Anish Suri, president and chief scientific officer of Cue Biopharma commented, “The mechanistic insights provided by the elegant work conducted by Dr. Aragones and Dr. Dustin supports the central hypothesis of Immuno-STATs specifically – that concurrent delivery of antigen and interleukin 2 (IL-2) signals results in robust synapse formation, providing for selective T cell activation, a supposition now being clinically validated through the development of CUE-101, our lead and representative IL-2 based drug product candidate from the CUE-100 series.”

About the CUE-100 Series
The CUE-100 series consists of Fc-fusion biologics that incorporate peptide-MHC (pMHC) molecules along with rationally engineered IL-2 molecules. This singular biologic is anticipated to selectively target, activate and expand a robust repertoire of tumor-specific T cells directly in the patient. The binding affinity of IL-2 for its receptor has been deliberately attenuated to achieve preferential selective activation of tumor-specific effector T cells while reducing the potential for effects on regulatory T cells (Tregs) or broad systemic activation, potentially mitigating the dose-limiting toxicities associated with current IL-2-based therapies.

About Immuno-STAT
The company’s Immuno-STAT™ (Selective Targeting and Alteration of T cells) biologics are designed for targeted modulation of disease-associated T cells in the areas of immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease. Each of our biologic drugs is designed using our proprietary scaffold comprising: 1) a pMHC to provide selectivity through interaction with the T cell receptor (TCR), and 2) a unique co-stimulatory signaling molecule to modulate the activity of the target T cells.

The simultaneous engagement of co-regulatory molecules and pMHC binding mimics the signals delivered by antigen presenting cells (APCs) to T cells during a natural immune response. This design enables Immuno-STAT biologics to engage with the T cell population of interest, resulting in selective T cell modulation. Because our drug candidates are delivered directly in the patient’s body (in vivo), they are fundamentally different from other T cell therapeutic approaches that require the patients’ T cells to be extracted, modified outside the body (ex vivo), and reinfused.

About Cue Biopharma
Cue Biopharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, is engineering a novel class of injectable biologics to selectively engage and modulate targeted T cells within the patient’s body to transform the treatment of cancer, infectious disease and autoimmune disease. The company’s proprietary platform, Immuno-STAT™ (Selective Targeting and Alteration of T cells) is designed to harness the body’s intrinsic immune system without the need for ex vivo manipulation.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, we are led by an experienced management team and independent Board of Directors with deep expertise in immunology and immuno-oncology as well as the design and clinical development of protein biologics.

For more information please visit www.cuebiopharma.com and follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CueBiopharma.

About the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS)

The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) is a multi-disciplinary department focusing on discovering the causes of musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions to deliver excellent and innovative care that improves people’s quality of life. The largest European academic department in its field, NDORMS is part of the Medical Sciences Division of the University of Oxford, and is a rapidly growing community of more than 500 orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists and scientists all working in the field of musculoskeletal disorders. 

The research work of the department takes place in several locations across the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, namely the Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences, the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, and the Kadoorie Centre. The co-location with NHS services puts the department in an excellent position with basic researchers working alongside clinicians. This substantially improves research capacity, improving access for researchers to patients, and facilitating the interaction between clinicians and scientists that is essential for successful medical research.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by those sections. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding: the potential for CUE-101 to treat HPV+ R/M HNSCC; the company’s plans to select the CUE-101 monotherapy Phase 2 clinical trial dose in mid-2021; the company’s plans to report initial Phase 1 results of the CUE-101 +pembrolizumab combination trial in the second half of 2021; anticipated initiation of the CUE-101 Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate effects of CUE-101 on tumor microenvironment and expand patient access and market potential for CUE-101 in the second half of 2021; the potential of the CUE 100 series for anti-tumor activity; the potential benefits of the company’s Immuno-STAT™ platform biologics; the anticipated results of the company’s drug development efforts, including study results; the company’s expectations regarding regulatory developments and expected future operating results; and statements regarding the company’s strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the company’s future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely” or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Important factors that could cause the company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the company’s limited operating history, limited cash and history of losses; the company’s ability to achieve profitability; potential setbacks in the company’s research and development efforts its ability to secure required U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) or other governmental approvals for its product candidates and the breadth of any approved indication; adverse effects caused by public health pandemics, including COVID-19, including possible effects on the company’s operations and clinical trials; negative or inconclusive results from the company’s clinical trials or preclinical studies or serious and unexpected drug-related side effects or other safety issues experienced by participants in clinical trials; delays and changes in regulatory requirements, policy and guidelines including potential delays in submitting required regulatory applications to the FDA; the company’s reliance on licensors, collaborators, contract research organizations, suppliers and other business partners; the company’s ability to obtain adequate financing to fund its business operations in the future; the company’s ability to maintain and enforce necessary patent and other intellectual property protection; competitive factors; general economic and market conditions and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of the company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed Quarterly Report(s) on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statement made by the company in this press release is based only on information currently available to the company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor Contact
Marie Campinell
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
Cue Biopharma, Inc.
mcampinell@cuebio.com 

Media Contact
Darren Opland, Ph.D.
LifeSci Communications
darren@lifescicomms.com 

Source: Cue Biopharma, Inc.